


Straw Into Gold

by KyloTrashForever



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fae, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Are There Twelve or Thirteen Bens?, Armitage Is A Brownie, Bedsharing, Could You Call This Enemies To Lovers?, Even Though Armitage Is A Brownie You Can Bet I’ll Shove Some Softcore Roux In Here, F/M, Fae & Fairies, Fluff and Smut, I Mean Maybe Sort Of Kind Of, Kylo Is A Bit Of A Shit, Reylo - Freeform, Rumplestiltskin Elements, Say My Name Say My Name, Sexual Tension, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, What About Like Annoyed To Amorous, snarky kylo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-08-06 22:15:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16396103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KyloTrashForever/pseuds/KyloTrashForever
Summary: Life doesn’t always go the way we plan.After losing her father suddenly to a devastating heart attack, Rey Kenobi knows that better than anyone. She and her father were meant to make the trek of the Twelve Bens of Connemara together, but now she finds herself at their peaks alone. What she couldn’t know however, is that there is magic in those hills... and that everything comes with a price.





	1. A Small Fee

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Daredevilsinthedetails](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daredevilsinthedetails/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not even apologizing at this point. I obviously have no self control and this one was just too fun to ignore.  
> Prompt by the lovely daredevilinthedetails:  
>  _I did think of a dark fae Rumpelstiltskin like story..._

* * *

 Rey huffed out a labored breath, bending over to rest her hands on her knees as she struggled to collect herself. She gazed out at the glistening quartzite peaks, figuring she had to be well over halfway through. She pulled at her pack, straightening to continue onwards. She held the guide map out in front of her, determining her distance from her desired destination as she walked. Not far.

A month ago she wouldn’t have thought she’d be trekking the peaks of the Twelve Bens of Connemara alone, but then again, a month ago she wouldn’t have thought she’d lose her dad so suddenly. Ben Kenobi had been her pillar of strength, her one constant, her best friend... and he was gone without a moment’s notice.

No one had expected him to die of a heart attack at forty-eight. He was healthy, never smoked, ate right, exercised regularly... it just goes to show you when it’s your time it’s your time. They’d been planning this trip for a year, her father wanting to take her along the same path his father had when he was young.

Her dad had grown up here, born in Galway City. He’d met her mother when she’d come to study abroad for her last year of school and they’d fell in love. He’d followed her back to America, and they’d lived the fairy tale. At least... until she was born. 

Her mother had died in childbirth, and she had to suspect her father had never been the same. He was loving, and the perfect example of a father, but there was always a sadness about him that hung over his shoulders when he thought Rey wasn’t looking. He rarely talked about her mother, the memory of her proving too painful. 

So it had just been she and him growing up, Rey never wanting for anything and never feeling an ounce of loss for having only one parent. He’d been all she needed and more. That was why his passing had been made even more devastating. He was all she’d had for so long... and then he was just gone. 

For a short while she’d made plans to cancel the trip. How could she climb the peaks alone? It was only just last week that she’d decided to come alone on a whim, deciding that scattering her father’s ashes on the crest of Bencorr, her father’s favorite spot and more commonly known as “the Soldier’s Mountain”, was the perfect sendoff for the the perfect father.

She’d just wished she’d anticipated how hellish the walk would be. Her feet ached in her hiking boots, blisters surely forming around her toes and the straps of her backpack now cutting into her shoulders. She wouldn’t be deterred though, the urn in her backpack a heavy burden that she felt she needed to carry. 

It was over an hour later that she finally found herself atop her designated peak, looking out over the landscape and feeling a smug sense of accomplishment. 

“I made it, Dad.” She whispered out into the wind. She just wished he were there with her. She wiped away an errant tear that had threatened to fall, taking a shuddering breath as she tried not to get too emotional. She had a job to do after all.

She knelt to sling her backpack onto the ground, rifling through it and producing the sleek, black urn that carried all that was left of Ben Kenobi. She held it in her hands, studying its gleaming surface as her lip quivered with emotion. 

“Dad,” she started. “I wish more than anything that we could have made this trip together. That you could have been beside me when I saw your homeland. I wanted you to show me all the places from your childhood, to relive the stories of your youth. I wanted all of that with you. All I can do for you now is put you to rest on the land you loved so much.”

She pulled the top from the urn, the gaping hole yawning up at her and she stood stock still in hesitance, not quite ready to let him go. She was only twenty-four years old. She was too young to be so alone. _He_  was too young to be gone. He’d been robbed of a life and she’d been robbed of her best friend. 

She steeled herself, taking in a deep gulp of air and releasing it slowly. She pressed her lips to the smooth surface of the urn, muttering out a final goodbye before tipping it into the wind to spill its contents. She watched as the scattered ash of her father fluttered into the breeze, carrying over the air and settling below on the Irish countryside. 

“Bye, Dad.” She whispered. “I’m going to miss you.”

She sat on the rocky slope for a very long time, living in the memories of her father and wishing more than anything that things were different. In her melancholy she did not notice the sky darkening, the air around her growing colder as the heavens threatened to open up. The first drop of rain hit her cheek like an alarm, jerking her head upwards to finally take in her surroundings.

“ _Shit_.” She groused, gathering up her pack. 

She stood quickly, the strap sliding from her shoulders to fall haphazardly to the ground as its contents scattered across the landscape. “Shit, _shit_.” 

She scrambled to tuck her belongings back into her bag, rising again with it more firmly slung about her shoulders and taking off in a run as rain began to fall steadily around her. She was at least an hour from the point of descent and further still from the Hostel where she’d parked. 

Within a half hour, the rain had went from a steady drizzle to a tumultuous downpour, Rey barely able to see ten feet in front of her. She was soaked through to the bone, continuing forward as fast as her sodden feet would carry her in what she hoped was the right direction. 

She noticed a dark shape in her line of vision, a structure of some sort resting at the bottom of the range she ran across and she darted towards it with all she had. When she neared she realized it was a stone cottage of some sort, pluming smoke rising from the chimney and alerting her that someone was indeed home.

She quickly knocked on the heavy wooden door, shivering violently and praying that whoever was inside would take pity on her. The door swung open, a hulking figure standing in the entry and near impossible to make out through her water logged vision. 

“I’m sorry,” she all but shouted over the downpour. “Could I please just come in for a moment?”

The body stepped aside to allow her entry, and she quickly rushed inside towards the crackling fire that roared in the nearby hearth. Her teeth chattered incessantly, her limbs shaking with cold as she pressed as closely to the fire as safety would allow.

She turned her head to thank her would be rescuer, stopping short when she was able to fully appreciate her host. The first thing she noticed was just how impossibly tall he was. Well over six feet, the soft waves of his midnight locks almost brushed along the low wooden beams of the ceiling. 

The second thing she noticed was how striking he was. He was not what some would call classically handsome, but his features were... for lack of a better word, _interesting_. His dark eyes rested above a proud, straight nose, its patrician length somehow fitting perfectly in the angular shape of his face. His mouth was wide and plush, tinted an inviting pink that one didn’t see on a man very often. Her eyes roved over these features for only a moment before settling on the disconnected pattern of beauty marks that adorned his features, following their path with her gaze as if to connect them with her eyes. 

Separately his features would certainly be unappealing but somehow, _together_ , they made for what might possibly be the most attractive man she’d ever seen. She realized then that she was still kneeling on his floor, gawking up at him unabashedly and she quickly rose to her feet to offer her hand. 

“Hi,” she started. “I’m Rey. Thank you so much for your help. I got caught in the storm.”

“What do you think you’re doing out here all alone?” He chided in lieu of greeting. 

She frowned, jerking her hand back. “Excuse me?”

“Not very smart coming out here by yourself.” He tutted. 

“I’m perfectly capable of handling myself, thank you very much.” She retorted indignantly.

He raised an eyebrow, his gaze traveling down the length of her sodden clothing and smirking. “Yeah, I can see that.”

She scowled, suddenly annoyed with his bristled manner and she took a step back to cross her arms over her drenched clothes. “You got a name or are you just going to keep insulting me?”

“Kylo’s my name.” He answered.

“See, that wasn’t so hard was it?” She beamed.

He continued to give her a passive look, shrugging. “What’re you doing out here anyway?”

She grinned smugly then, slightly proud of herself. “Trekking the Twelve Bens.” 

“Ah,” he chuckled in disbelief. “You really showed them who’s boss.”

She cocked her head then, realizing what was missing. “Are you not from here? You don’t have an accent.”

She shook his head. “Not originally no.”

“Oh,” she answered. “Well, obviously me either.”

“Obviously.” He replied dryly. 

She looked around to take in the space of his house, finding the room in which they stood set up like some sort of galley. “Is this a pub?”

He shook his head from side to side in consideration. “Of sorts.”

“Pretty remote place for a pub.” She remarked. She bristled then, realizing at last she was all alone with a man twice her size miles from civilization. “Ah, but maybe I should be going... my erm, boyfriend will be waiting for me at the car. Big fellow he is.”

Kylo snorted a laugh. “You’re a terrible liar. Don’t worry, I’m not going to violate you.”

She grimaced. “Well, _that’s_ assuring.”

“Are you hungry?” He questioned.

She placed a hand over her stomach, a low rumble answering for her as if being summoned and she groaned in embarrassment. 

“Take that as a yes.” He said amusedly. 

He moved around her, disappearing behind a wide oak bar and into a pair of double doors to what she assumed led to a kitchen. He returned minutes later with a bowl of some sort of soup that steamed with heat, her mouth already watering at the sight of the offering. 

She reached into her pack in search of her wallet, but he waved her off. “Keep your money.”

“Are you sure? Let me give you something for your trouble.” She pressed.

He shook his head. “Don’t really need money.” 

She took a seat at the bar, leaning over the heated bowl of stew and inhaling deeply. “Well, if you’re sure...”

She moved for the spoon but he held out a hand to stop her, a sly grin on his face. “Not to say it won’t cost you.”

She furrowed her brow, afraid he was going to ask her for some sort of sexual favors and preparing to gouge out his eyes with a spoon if necessary. “What will it cost me exactly?”

His mouth turned up, that same coy expression painted on his face. “Nothing much... just your firstborn.”

She snorted out a laugh, deciding he had the weirdest sense of humor ever. “Yeah,” she chuckled. “Sure. My firstborn. All yours.”

He leaned back in satisfaction, waving a hand to signal that she dig in and she did so with gusto. She hadn’t realized just how hungry she’d been, and it took no time at all to polish off the hearty meal.

She leaned back in her chair when she’d finished, patting her stomach and sighing contently. 

“That was great, thank you.” She offered.

He shrugged. “Don’t thank me. We made a deal.”

“Right,” she laughed. “My firstborn. How could I forget?”

He shrugged, his eyes crinkling with mirth. “Right. Just a small fee.”

“So do you get a lot of business out here?” She questioned, gesturing around them to his place. 

He made a noncommittal gesture. “Not particularly. This is just a side venture anyway. I travel a lot for my real job.”

“That sounds exciting at least.” She commented. 

“It’s... something alright.” He remarked dryly, closing the subject. “So you never told me what exactly you’re doing out here all by yourself.”

“Oh, well... I came for my father.” She answered quietly.

He cocked an eyebrow. “Your father? Where might he be?”

He cleared her throat, her eyes fixed on the oak surface of the bar as she willed away her emotions. “He um, he died last month.”

Kylo frowned, looking sympathetic. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“No, of course you didn’t. Don’t apologize.” She assured him. “He was from Galway City, you know? Grew up here. We’d been planning this trip for forever. Then he was just... gone. Seemed fitting to lay him to rest here. I scattered his ashes on Bencorr.”

He nodded appreciatively. “The Soldier’s Mountain.”

“Right,” she agreed. “He always said it was his favorite spot.”

“It’s definitely something.” He assented. 

“Figured I’d conquer the Twelve Bens for his sake.” She affirmed.

“There’s thirteen actually.” He said flippantly.

“Excuse me?” She questioned.

He chuckled. “Thirteen Bens.” 

She furrowed her brow. “No, I’m pretty sure that there are only twelve. Says so in the guide.”

He shrugged. “Whatever you say.”

She narrowed her eyes, Kylo seeming to be enjoying some sort of private joke at her expense. He didn’t elaborate his meaning, and she eventually waved off his odd jest. She peered out the window, noticing then that the rain had lessened and she decided it was probably a good idea that she get back. 

She hopped down from the stool, gathering up her backpack that still dripped a puddle on Kylo’s wooden floor and she offered him an apologetic glance that he waved away.

“I suppose I should be going.” She remarked.

He nodded back at her. “Rain has pretty much stopped. Best get a move on before the sky opens up again.”

She slung her backpack over her shoulder, grimacing at the sopping wet material and sighing in defeat knowing that she would just have to make due until she got back to the car. 

Kylo leaned over the bar on his elbows as she moved to go, watching her intently with those dark eyes of his. She glanced at him over her shoulder at the door, flashing him an appreciative smile. 

“Thank you,” she told him. “For the soup and the company.”

He returned her grin with a smirk of his own. “Oh no Rey, the pleasure was all mine.”

“Right.” She replied, thinking more and more that Kylo might be a bit of a weirdo. “Anyway, thanks again. Be careful out here.”

“You too.” He tossed back. “I’m sure I’ll see you again.”

She cocked her head, confused by his meaning but chalking it up to him just being an odd man with an even stranger sense of humor. Probably due to his isolation. “Okay... well, bye Kylo.”

He gave a little wave, that same maddening smirk still fixed firmly on his mouth. “Bye, Rey.”

She closed the door behind her, somewhat grateful to be away from the terribly handsome man with the crazy sense of humor. He may be wickedly attractive, but he sort of gave her the creeps. 

She strode off from his makeshift pub quickly, admittedly glancing behind her several times to make sure he didn’t follow. She finally relaxed when she could no longer see the structure, beginning the descent down the hillside and seeing her car come into view before she knew it.

She jumped into it quickly, locking the door behind her and sighing in relief. What a day she’d had. She was grateful at least that she’d been able to do what she’d set out to, her father finally put to rest exactly where he should be. It made her feel lighter, knowing she’d brought him home. It made the fact that he hadn’t been here with her a little more bearable. 

She turned the ignition, immediately blasting the heater to warm her chilled clothes and pressing her hands to the vent to seek their warmth. Her mind still dwelled on the strange pub owner, the peculiar man out here in the middle of nowhere a right mystery. Surely he didn’t get a lot of business there? 

She shook the memory of him away, knowing it was highly likely she’d never see him again. Chalk it up to a random bout of chance with a random handsome man. Still, as she drove out onto the path towards town, she couldn’t get his knowing grin out of her mind. What did he know that she didn’t? 

She shuddered, whether from cold or consternation she didn’t know. As she made down the road, the parting words he’d given her still bounced around her head despite their utter inability to hold any sort of weight. 

“ _I’m_ _sure_ _I’ll_ _see_ _you_ _again_.” 

As if that were possible. No, she’d seen the last of the eccentric man with his handsome face and his weird jokes. She returned home tomorrow, and she’d leave the memories of this place far behind her. Finally she would be able to move on with her life. The hurt her father had left behind with his sudden passing may never heal fully, but surely life would start looking up from here on out. 

Because really, what else could go wrong? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 


	2. Did You Miss Me?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey look I’m still alive...

* * *

 

Rey rested her head on her folded arms, draped over the metal table tucked away in the corner of The Binary Sunset cafe. It was her and Rose’s favorite coffee spot, and always their go to when meeting up. Rose stood across the room at the counter, waiting patiently for their names to be called. 

She closed her eyes to let the soft music soothe her, the rich fragrance of coffee beans and the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies she’d been eyeing since they came in pleasing her senses. She heard the barista call out Rose’s name, glancing up to see her crossing the space to their table.

“So how are you holding up?” Rose ventured kindly, handing Rey the coffee she’d just gathered from the counter.

Rey shrugged. It was a difficult question to answer. She missed her father, she hated being alone, but most of all she just felt out of sorts. “I’m okay I guess. It’s... odd mostly. You know, outside of you, when something good happened, or when I had a rough day, he was the first person I called. I still find myself dialing his number before I remember.”

Rose frowned, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand. “I’m sorry, babe. I can’t even imagine.”

She traced her finger over the brightly colored label of her paper cup, letting out a soft sigh. “I just miss him. Work helps though, takes my mind off things.”

“How’s that going? Is it weird being Poe’s boss?” She wondered playfully. 

Rey grimaced. She found it odd that she was now technically Poe’s boss, her father leaving the store to her. She in no way wanted to be be in charge of anyone, content to let Poe continue to run things until she was ready. He’d been a godsend, handling everything with the store’s inventory and finances while she’d mourned.

Poe had been a friend of her father’s, becoming the primary manager of Galway Gallery in the more recent years as her father had begun to pull back. He’d opened the model toy store when he’d moved here with her mother, having enjoyed them as a child and wanting to spread that joy to other children. 

“ _Kids_ _need_ _to_ _get_ _their_ _noses_ _out_ _of_ _their_ _phones_ _and_ _learn_ _to_ _work_ _with_ _their_ _hands_.” 

Not a popular opinion to be sure. The store was never a source of bustling activity, kids simply not beating down the door for model toy kits anymore. Still, they did alright considering, well enough to pay the bills at least, and that was enough for them. 

She’d returned from Ireland over two weeks ago now, still not quite used to the absence of her father. There were times when she wondered if she would ever be used to it. She’d returned to work last week, even at Poe’s insistence that she take more time. She had brushed off his objections, knowing if she didn’t get out of her apartment she was going to lose her mind.

“Rey?” Rose sought, pulling her from her musings. 

“Oh,” she muttered apologetically. “Sorry, went away there for a second.”

Rose nodded. “It’s fine. I’m sure you have a lot on your mind.”

Rey took a sip of her coffee, nodding in agreement. “Understatement of the year.”

Rose sighed, putting her own mug to her lips and tipping it back slowly. “I still can’t believe you went all the way to Ireland and didn’t even meet a guy.”

Rey’s mind wandered to the strange shopkeeper in the Bens, something that had happened more than once since she’d returned home. Although that could hardly count as meeting someone. 

“I didn’t really socialize much.” She informed her. “I mostly just did what I came to do and then left.”

“Ever think you’ll go back on more pleasant terms?” Rose questioned. “I mean, it was your Dad’s home.”

Rey considered. “Yeah, maybe. One day. Right now it’s just too painful. The entire time I was there it was like he was all around me. It just hurt too much.”

“Oh, honey. I’m sorry.” Rose sympathized. “It’s got to get easier, right?”

Rey shrugged, not entirely convinced. “Let’s hope so.”

* * *

The overhead bell tinkled as Rey pushed through the glass door of _Galway_ _Gallery_. She walked passed the front display of model trains, making her way to the back where she assumed Poe would be. She found him unboxing a sleuth of new inventory, having paused to study the back of one of the boxes.

He glanced up when he noticed her, grinning wide and holding out what he held for her inspection. She looked over it, shaking her head in amusement. “This looks... different.”

“It’s an X-Wing.” He beamed, clearly excited. “Look at the detail! It’s going to look amazing all put together for the display.”

Rey laughed softly. “So I assume you’ll be putting this one together?”

“You know it. We had a deal, I get all the planes.” He reminded.

“Not so much of a deal as a decree...” she affirmed.

Poe shrugged. “Whatever. I get the planes.”

“Yeah, yeah, sure.” She relented, moving to help him finish unboxing. They were quiet as they worked, Poe focusing on checking in each piece of inventory as Rey stacked them neatly. 

It was funny, but she got the feeling that her father had hoped she and Poe would end up together. She didn’t have the heart to tell him that Poe was hopelessly gay, and that Poe’s “buddy” that her father had met on several occasions was more of a “boyfriend”.

Sometimes he could be so clueless. She laughed at the thought, finding even the more pleasant memories somewhat painful. 

When they’d finished checking everything in, Poe went to the computer in the office to finalize the inventory. He switched screens to the daily sales log, frowning at the numbers and pinching the bridge of his nose.

“This has sure been a slow month.” He remarked.

Rey came up beside him. “We’ve had slow months before, right? We’ve always pulled through.”

Poe sighed wearily. “True, but honestly it’s like we’ve had a slow year. If it continues like this... I don’t know how much longer we’ll be able to afford to keep the doors open.”

“It’s that damn Mega Hobby down the street.” Rey grumbled. “No one gives us a second look with them in the picture.”  
   
Poe nodded. “You’re absolutely right. It does make things difficult.”

“I wish it would burn down or something.” She mused. Poe gave her a horrified expression, and she threw up her hands in apology. “I’m kidding! Oh what, like you haven’t thought it.”

He frowned, not wanting to agree but clearly of the same mind. “It sure would be easier if they weren’t around.”

“Right.” Rey sighed. “Anyway, get out of your mood and go put together your spaceship.”

He brightened, rising from the swivel chair and nodding fervently. “Yeah, good idea.”

She watched him head back out front, taking his place in the chair and sighing heavily. She knew Poe was right, and that they couldn’t stand much longer like this. The very idea of losing the store so soon after losing her father broke her heart all over again. She knew if she were smart she would call up the developer that had hounded her father a few months back and take his offer, but just the thought of someone tearing this place down made her stomach hurt.

In the end she knew all she could do was hope for the best. Hang on until she had no other choice and try her best to keep her father’s memory alive. 

* * *

The next day was a flurry of chaos. Poe’s call came through at the crack of dawn, urging her to get to the store as quickly as possible. He’d sounded frantic on the phone, and Rey had dressed as quickly as possible and rushed out the door to meet him there. 

By his exasperated behavior she half expected to find the store in shambles, so was relieved when she rounded the corner and found it in one piece. She pushed through the door in a rush, finding Poe pacing the office and scrambling towards her as she walked through the door.

“Tell me you didn’t do it.” He urged fervently. 

“Do _what_?” She replied in confusion. 

He narrowed his eyes, peering out at her in suspicion before releasing a pent up breath as he seemed to deem her innocent. He motioned for her to follow him to the computer, pointing at the screen in quiet instruction that she read the article he had pulled up. 

The headline, “ _LOCAL_ _HOBBY_ _STORE_ _BURNS_ _DOWN_ ”, gripped her, instantly giving her a chill. She read on to learn that the Mega Hobby they’d just spoken of had caught fire in the night, burning to the ground in a rapid blaze in just a matter of hours. No one had been harmed being after hours, but the store was beyond salvageable. 

Rey sucked in a breath, the timing of the whole thing eerie in light of their conversation the day before. She turned to Poe with wide eyes, her mouth hanging open as she struggled to find words.

“Poe, I... I did _not_  do this. How could I?” She stammered.

He shook his head exasperatedly, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t know! The timing is just insane. I mean you just said—”

“ _I_ _know_ _what_ _I_ _said_.” She hissed, cutting him off. “I was obviously joking! I would _never_ —”

“Alright, _alright_ , I’m sorry. It was just insane to read this morning.” He admitted.

She nodded back. “I hear you. God, that’s just crazy. Plus, I mean they’ll just rebuild.”

“Actually...” Poe started. “Apparently the insurance adjusters discovered that the land never passed a perc test. They’ve... well, they’ve actually forced the owners to find a new spot.”

“A _perc_ test? But it never rains!” She gasped.

He shrugged. “I know! It’s all so bizarre. Still, I mean... I can’t help but think this might help our business. I know that’s selfish but...”

She shook her head. “No, I know what you mean. I hate the circumstances but can’t help but be a little relieved for what this might mean for us.”

“Are we bad people?” He wondered.

She grimaced. “I don’t think so. It’s not like anyone was hurt, and those buildings are insured out the ears. No harm no foul in the long run.”

He nodded, letting out a heavy sigh. “I guess you’re right. Still, how crazy.”

“Right.” She agreed. “It’s almost as if someone heard my stupid wish.”

They shared a heavy look, lasting mere seconds before they both fell into a fit of laughter. “Sure,” Poe chuckled. “You’ve got an evil little genie following you around.”

“Hey, you never know.” She teased. “Better not piss me off.”

He rolled his eyes. “I wouldn’t do that anyway, you’re a nightmare to deal with.”

She shoved at his shoulder playfully. “Can’t believe you thought I was an arsonist for a second.”

“Shut-up. You’d have been freaked out too.” He grumbled.

She could only nod, still feeling a little freaked out despite her flippant behavior. Such an odd coincidence. 

The rest of their day was fairly quiet, despite them noticing there did seem to be a slight influx of customers. Rey couldn’t help but feel a little happy about it, even if the circumstances that led to it were less than savory. 

When she told Poe goodbye that day, she felt herself having a little more hope about the fate of her father’s store. Maybe everything was turning around. 

She walked home slow, taking the opportunity to mull over the course of that day’s events. The other store had been their biggest competitor since it had erected a few years ago, and with it out of the picture they had a fighting chance of staying open. 

“Wish I could thank you evil genie.” She muttered to herself, feeling terrible but chuckling all the same.

She heard a rustling in the tree overhead then, looking up to see a fluttering of wings as what she assumed was a bird flew off from a low branch. She couldn’t have swore she had seen a shock of orange, straining her eyes to find whatever had hung overhead but it had disappeared. Shrugging, she continued her path to her apartment. 

When she pushed through the door, she dropped her keys on the entry table before kicking off her shoes. Shuffling inside, she went to the fridge to make herself a glass of wine. She figured after the excitement of the day she deserved one. 

Pouring a generous amount, she immediately tipped the glass to her lips to take a long sip. She closed her eyes as its warmth flooded over her tongue and down her throat, feeling slightly unwound.  She took her glass to the bathroom, deciding a bath would go well with it. 

Drawing the water, she sat her glass on the counter to slip out of her clothes. She felt the hairs of her neck stand up, an eerie feeling settling in her stomach. She wrapped a towel around herself, peeking her head out into the dark hall. 

“Hello?” She called.

There was no answer, of course there wasn’t. She knew she was being ridiculous as she had definitely locked the door when she’d come in. She supposed the weirdness of the day was just getting to her. She stepped into her bath minutes later, settling under the warm water and languidly sipping at her wine. 

When her glass was empty, she leaned her head back against the wall, closing her eyes and just enjoying the warmth. She didn’t know when she dozed off, jolting awake an indeterminate time later to what she was certain was the fluttering of wings. 

She jerked upwards, wondering if she’d imagined the sound. The water had went tepid, and she quickly stepped out of it to towel off. She couldn’t get the sharp beating of wings out of her ears, certain it had been what had awoken her. She worried a bird had gotten into her apartment. 

She wrapped the towel tightly around herself, padding through the apartment in search of the intruder. She searched high and low, finding no bird and no open windows. She was afraid she was going a little crazy, and determined it was time to call it a day. A good night’s sleep would do her wonders. 

She dressed for bed, crawling beneath the covers and settling in for sleep. The apartment seemed especially quiet that evening, as it always did when she pondered the absence of her father milling about in the other room. He’d often stay up watching late night SyFy, addicted to those old B horror movies. 

She used to give him so much grief about it, but now she would do anything to hear it again. The apartment just wasn’t the same without him. It had been left to her upon his death, and most people her age would revel in the fact of having their own place. She however, well... just wanted her roommate back. 

She closed her eyes, shutting away her grim thoughts and willing herself to sleep. It did not come easy, but eventually the thick curtain of weariness settled over her and she slipped into a dreamless sleep. 

The next morning came all too soon, the sharp rays of sunlight streaming through her bedroom window as she squinted drowsily against them. She rolled to her back, bringing her arms out to stretch and shuffling away from the warm body they collided with as she yawned. 

It took her all of a minute to come to the realization that her hand had collided with a _warm_   _body_. Her eyes flew open, terror gripping her momentarily as she lay frozen. Slowly she turned her head, unsure of what she would find. 

It was the eyes that struck her most. She’d thought of those dark eyes far more often than she should, their warm depths cropping up unbidden in her dreams. His wide mouth was curved in a grin, propped on his side as he regarded her. 

“ _I’m_ _sure_ _I’ll_ _see_ _you_ _again_ _soon_.”

His words had seemed odd then, and she’d brushed them off as such. She should have been more wary, should have worried more about their meaning. Only she’d thought it impossible. He didn’t know anything about her. She’d given him nothing that would have a aided him in finding her across an _ocean_.

His smile widened at her shocked expression, his eyes crinkling at the corners as if her terror amused him. 

She tried to roll away but he snatched at her wrist, tugging him towards her and pressing a kiss to her knuckles.

“Hello Rey,” he greeted warmly. “Did you miss me?”


	3. I Need Her Satisfied

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I didn’t forget about this story. I’ve been SO busy. Anyway, here’s another Kylostiltskin!

* * *

Rey scrambled away from his smirking figure, clutching the sheets to her to scantily clad body tightly. She’d only worn the tiniest of sleep shorts and tank top to bed, knowing that without a bra her breasts would be practically on display through the thin fabric.

“What are you doing here?” she hissed out, scooting to the farthest corner of the bed she could reach. “How did you get _in?”_

He laughed softly, still sprawled languidly across her bed as he regarded her timid figure. “As if such a simple thing as a lock could stop me.”

“Are you stalking me?” she squeaked, cold dread seeping into her.

He pursed his lips, considering. “Stalking would imply I actively attempted to seek you out. Not the case. I’ve always known where you are. You took care of that when you entered the contract.”

“Contract?” she reeled. “What _contract_?”

He cocked his head in amusement. “For your firstborn of course.”

“My…” she faltered, having no idea what he was referring to and racking her brain for some sort of answer. It hit her then, the conversation from his tiny lodge in the hills and the jest of trading her firstborn for a bowl of stew. “You have to be fucking kidding me. Are you _insane?”_

He furrowed his brow. “Hardly. I think you’ll find I’ve more than enough wits about me.”

“I need you to leave,” she urged forcefully. “Leave now and I’ll forget this ever happened. You’re obviously not well.”

“Oh, I’m not going anywhere,” he assured her. “Not until the contract is fulfilled.”

“Oh, for my _firstborn?”_ she spat, growing irritated at his ludicrous behavior. This entire situation was beyond ridiculous. “Seriously, get out or I’m calling the police.”

He shrugged. “Call them.”

“I will,” she promised. “I swear I will.”

He sat up, turning to her bedside table and grabbing her cellphone that rested there. He held it, still flashing her that mocking grin that made her insides feel funny. He rose to his knees to move closer to her, reaching for her hand and placing the phone in her fingers before curling his hand over hers to close it. “ _Do it.”_

* * *

It took the police half an hour to reach her apartment, Rey pacing the length of her kitchen no less than seventy-eight times as she waited. Kylo was lounging on her couch, his arms lazily strewn behind his head. He was quiet, seeming content to wait with her and keeping his distance. What the fuck did he actually _want?_

Her initial terror had faded into annoyance, realizing that he didn’t seek to intend her any harm but still beyond alarmed that he’d somehow found her from so far. How _had_ he found her? It was a puzzle she couldn’t work out. She hadn’t given him any real information in which to go on, and yet he’d seemed to have no trouble at all not only tracking her down, but breaking into her apartment as well.

When the knock finally sounded at her door, she all but ran to open it. She let the two officers inside, a tall blonde woman that towered over her smaller dark haired man of a partner.

“You called about a break in?” the woman questioned.

“Yes, _yes,_ that was me,” Rey clarified. “Thank you for coming officer…”

“Phasma,” the woman answered before nodding to her partner. “This is Officer Mitaka.”

“Yes, _thank you_ ,” Rey gushed. She pointed across the living room, gesturing to Kylo’s casual form. “This man followed me from Ireland, broke into my apartment and was in my bed this morning.”

Phasma reeled, her eyes moving from Rey to Kylo in confusion. “You seem pretty… calm about the whole thing.”

“Well, erm, you see he doesn’t seem to actually want to _hurt_ me,” Rey offered in confusion. “I just can’t make him leave.”

Phasma cocked an eyebrow, regarding her partner who only gave her a shrug. She pressed further inside, striding over to the couch to question Kylo herself.

“Is that true?” she asked him pointedly.

Kylo grinned, glancing over at Rey and giving her a wink. He then stood from the couch, squaring up with Phasma and offering a cool smile. He waved his hand, Rey watching in disbelief as Phasma’s eyes seemed to dull.

“There is no disturbance here,” Kylo said evenly, his gaze locked on Phasma’s.

“There is no disturbance here,” she repeated robotically.

Mitaka strode closer heatedly, his face set in an indignant scowl. “Hey what are you—”

Kylo turned to regard him as well, again waving his hand as if exerting some sort of spell. “This was all just a misunderstanding.”

Mitaka stilled, his eyes taking on that same glazed look. “This was all just a misunderstanding.”

“You will go now, and leave me and my friend alone,” Kylo pressed.

They nodded in tandem, turning to march from the apartment and giving Rey only a curt nod as they walked right out of the door. She stared at the closed door in disbelief, her mouth hanging open as she tried to make sense of what just happened.

“What did you do to them?” she squeaked out.

Kylo shrugged. “Just changed their perspective.”

“What _are_ you?” she pressed, backing away from his advancing figure until her back hit the counter and she no longer had anywhere to go.

“Just call me your evil genie,” he laughed, “and now that you know I’m not going anywhere… we have much to discuss.”

He reached for her hand, Rey jerking it away as he gave her a frown. “Now, Rey. I’m not going to hurt you. This can go smoothly if you let it.”

He let his hand stay adrift between them, outstretched in patience as he waited for her to comply. Seeing little choice in the matter, she let her fingers graze against his tentatively as he wrapping his too large hand around hers, pulling her behind him to urge her to take a seat on the couch. He sat beside her, keeping a safe distance and regarding her as if a child who needed instruction.

“Ask your questions,” he urged.

“How did you find me?” she asked again.

He let his head drift back and forth, his lip protruding only slightly as he seemed to consider his answer. “What I am… well, verbal contracts have a power to them. When you accepted my trade you entered into a binding of magic. Until it is completed I am bound to you. I will know where you go, I will know what you do, and I will look after you until the terms have been satisfied.”

“Terms being…” she trailed off.

“Firstborn,” he repeated.

She laughed sardonically, the sound coming out in a half crazed huff. “Right. No big deal. Let me just get right on that for you.”

He grinned wickedly, falling to his hands as he began to stalk to her side of the couch. “I can help you if you like. Speed up the process. Cut out the middle man as it were.”

She backed away until her ass hit the armrest, curling into herself as if that would protect her. “Are you _insane?”_

He halted, shrugging softly. “Just making the offer.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Yes, sign me up to have your weird monster baby.”

“You think I’m a monster?” he laughed.

“Aren’t you?” she pressed with morbid curiosity.

His smile faltered only slightly, his jaw working tensely. “I suppose… yes, I am. In a sense.”

She should be more terrified about this entire thing. She supposed she was, if only slightly, but Kylo’s calm demeanor and casual mirth over the situation made it hard to maintain a higher level of distress. If anything at this point she was mostly just _curious._

 _“_ Why _exactly_ do you even want my firstborn?” she wondered. “This sounds like something from a bad Brother’s Grimm rendition.”

“Why does anyone want anything?” he posed. “To satisfy a need.”

“Why do you _need_ a firstborn?” she prodded, his evasive behavior starting to irritate her.

“I didn’t say it was _my_ need to be satisfied,” he answered.

She huffed in frustration, throwing up her arms. “Do you always answer in riddles?”

He cocked his head. “Do you always forego a bra when sleeping?”

She blushed, his reminder that he’d seen more of her than she would have liked causing her to forget her train of thought. She stood to her feet, crossing her arms over her chest indignantly despite knowing that he couldn’t see anything now that she’d changed. “You’re a scoundrel.”

“A _scoundrel?”_ he laughed. “Now there’s a word I rarely hear anymore.”

“Do you have any _actual_ answers for me?” she tried again.

“I’ve given you all the answers you need I think,” he affirmed.

She breathed deep through her nose, closing her eyes and counting to keep from screaming. A thought occurred to her then, and she shot Kylo a look of accusation through narrowed eyes. “Was that you in my apartment last night?”

“Ah,” he started, “no. That was Armitage.”

“Armitage?” she grimaced. “What the fuck is an Armitage?”

Kylo snapped his fingers, a sudden fluttering sound sounding somewhere above her and she looked up to see a tiny man hanging upside down, suspended by the beat of feathered wings. His shock of titian hair hung loose in his upside down state, and his smile was wide and cheerful as he regarded her.

“Hello, Miss,” he offered kindly. “Good to meet you, it is.”

She squealed, backing away from the tiny figure until her legs hit the couch and she tripped from the impact. She found herself toppling backwards, saved from colliding with the floor by pair of strong arms that reached her too fast to seem human.

Then again, he _wasn’t_ human apparently.

She took a deep breath as he helped her to her feet, pointing towards the newest addition to the insanity party. “What is that.”

“That’s Armitage,” he repeated, looking at her as if it were obvious.

“Okay,” she grit out, “what _is_ Armitage.”

“I’m a Brownie, I am,” the ginger imp clarified, fluttering down to sit cross legged on the back of her couch.

“Like… like a fairy?” Rey sputtered.

He wrinkled his nose indignantly. “Don’t call me that or I’ll bite you, I will.”

“This is insane,” Rey groaned. “So _you’re_ the one who’s been following me.”

He nodded cheerfully. “Yes mum, I do what Kylo wishes. He wished that I’d keep an eye on you while he attended other matters, he did.”

“Were you spying on me in the bathtub last night?” she accused through narrowed eyes.

Armitage looked indignant, wrinkling his nose. “I would _never._ I closed my eyes right tight, I did.”

“Why are you talking like that?” Rey wondered.

Armitage cocked his head. “I’m talking like normal, I am. Maybe you’re the one who talks funny.”

Rey rolled her eyes, scrubbing a hand down her face. “I can’t take another second of this ridiculousness. I’m going to work.”

She turned to go, noticing Kylo following close behind. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Apparently we are leaving,” he offered in explanation.

“No,” she said firmly, “ _I’m_ leaving. You’re staying here. Or better yet, just leave.”

“I don’t think so,” Kylo affirmed. “From now on, where you go… I go. Have to protect my investment you see.”

“Whatever, but the fairy stays here,” she urged. Armitage stuck his tongue out at her, and she pointedly ignored him. “I’m just here to tell you, I have no plans on having anyone’s babies anytime soon,” she said matter of factly.

“We’ll see,” he grinned.

* * *

“Don’t follow me so close,” she hissed out, picking up her pace to try and put some distance between her and Kylo.

He walked so close to her he was practically her shadow, his massive form pressed against her back as if afraid she would run off if he stepped away.

“I told you, I have to protect my investment,” he reminded.

She rolled her eyes. “So what are you going to do if it takes me years to have a kid? Hm? What then?”

He shook his head. “I’ll intervene before it comes to that.”

She stopped in her tracks, wheeling on him. “ _Intervene?_ What, do you think you’ll force me?”

He smirked. “I wouldn’t have to.”

Her mouth gaped open at the implication that she would willingly go to bed with him. “There is no way that I— that I would—”

He took a step towards her, his thick arm snaking around her waist in a flash and pulling her flush against him. His hand cupped her chin, tilting her face to his as his nose brushed along her jaw. She stood helplessly in his grasp there in the middle of the street, feeling herself flush in his hold despite her need to protest. His lips brushed against her cheek, her eyes closing and her mouth parted slightly as the tiniest of sighs escaped her.

Then he was gone, stepping away to leave her heated and confused and when she opened her eyes again she found that same maddening grin that made her either want to hit him or _worse…_ kiss him. He shrugged, gesturing at her still flustered state as if proving his point. “See? It wouldn’t be that hard to persuade you.”

Her face heated in embarrassment, a scowl forming at her mouth just before she let out a screech of frustration. She turned on her heel, stomping away from him even as she knew he followed after her close behind. Damn him. God _damn_ him. She was mortified, turning into putty in his hands at the slightest touch and not knowing _why._ It had to have been more of his weird magic. That’s all it was. She assured herself that it wasn’t _Kylo,_ merely his tricks.

She saw the store coming into view, and she stopped just outside the door to turn and face him again. “What am I supposed to tell Poe?”

“That depends,” he offered. “Who is Poe?”

“My friend. He manages the store,” she explained.

“Hm,” he wondered, tapping his chin, “how about you just let me handle it.”

“Oh, like you handled the police?” she groused.

He grinned, shrugging. “Whatever works.”

“Don’t do anything weird to Poe,” she warned. “I _mean_ it.”

“You’re pretty demanding for such a tiny thing,” he chuckled. “I kind of like it.”

She huffed, shaking her head and turning away from him to enter the store. She was surprised to find a handful of customers milling about, checking out the displays and looking at the models.

“You’re _welcome,”_ he muttered.

She ignored him, not giving him the satisfaction of responding. She found Poe at the counter, looking up from his book to give her shadow an odd look. “Hey… who’s your friend?”

She pursed her lips, turning to Kylo with raised eyebrows and waiting for him to “handle it”.

Kylo stepped forward, offering Poe a beguiling grin and thrusting out his hand for Poe to shake. “I’m Kylo. Her grief counselor.”

Poe raised an eyebrow, looking between Kylo and a now incredulous looking Rey. “Grief counselor? Do you guys normally shadow your clients?”

Kylo nodded emphatically. “Oh yes, we take our job very seriously. I’m here to make sure Rey finds pleasure in life again.”

Rey felt her eye twitch, Poe’s eyebrow shooting up into his hairline at Kylo’s odd choice of words.

“He means he’s here to make sure I don’t get sad,” she corrected, shooting Kylo a glare.

“Yes,” Kylo affirmed. “I need her satisfied.”

Rey had to fight the urge to punch him in the gut, instead clenching her fists and moving behind the counter to check the status on her order for the new model train.

“It’s just temporary,” she assured Poe. _Until I can figure out how to get rid of him,_ she thought to herself.

Kylo settled onto a stool in the corner, crossing his arms. “So are the two of you involved?”

Poe reeled, eyeing him strangely for asking such a personal question. “Me and Rey?” Poe clarified, glancing at Rey with an amused expression. “No, never.”

Kylo frowned. “Why not? You’re readily available. You’re always around each other. It makes sense.”

“It actually doesn’t make a lot of sense,” Poe chuckled. “Rey’s not my type.”

Kylo cocked his head. “Why not? She’s an attractive woman.”

Rey turned then, eyeing Kylo with interest. _He thinks I’m attractive?_ No. She shook that thought away. It didn’t matter if he did or not. He was a weird, magic… something and she couldn’t care less what he thought of her.

“Yeah,” Poe continued to laugh. “That’s sort of the problem. The whole _woman_ part.”

“Ah,” Kylo realized, “you like men.”

Poe nodded. “Correct.”

Kylo frowned. “Well that won’t do.”

“Is it normal for a grief counselor to be so interested in their client's romantic life?” Poe wondered.

Kylo shrugged. “Romantic relationships can be healing. They can be very… fruit bearing.”

Rey scowled to herself, hearing Kylo laugh at his own vague joke and finding herself wanting to hit him again. “Drop it, Kylo.”

“Just trying to satisfy our contract, Rey,” he chuckled.

Poe continued to look between them in confusion before finally giving up and shaking his head. “ _Okay_ then, I’ll just be in the office.”

Rey turned to glare at Kylo the minute Poe was out of sight, hissing out a warning. “You _can’t_ harass all the men in my life.”

“Do you have that many?” he wondered idly.

She frowned, hating the way he seemed to be able to get under her skin with only a handful of words. “No, I don’t have that many.”

He whistled. “Going to be really hard to fill the contract then.”

“Isn’t there some other way to get rid of you?” she groaned.

“Oh, well now that you mention it…” he trailed off.

She perked up. “Yes?”

“Well, I guess I have to tell you that the contract is null and void if you can guess my name,” he offered.

“Kylo isn’t your real name?” she pressed.

He shook his head. “It was the name given to me when I was made this way.”

“What exactly are you?” she wondered again curiously.

He considered. “You would call me Fae.”

“Like fairies?” she asked skeptically.

He rolled his eyes. “Do I look like a fairy to you?”

She let her eyes pass over the sheer broadness of him, finally shaking her head. “No… I guess you don’t.”

He nodded. “Armitage is like a fairy. I am Fae. They are similar but not the same.”

She considered. “So that’s all I have to do? Guess your name?”

He flashed her a grin. “Easier said than done. You get three guesses per day.”

“Why only three?” she frowned.

He shrugged. “I don’t make the rules.”

“So I guess your name… you leave me alone?” she clarified.

He nodded, grinning coyly. “You guess my name… and we'll both be free.”

“Alright,” she nodded determinedly. “You’re on.”


	4. I Like The Cats

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have two more chapters of this. I guess I’ll write it till I lose the muse. 😂

_ _

* * *

 

_ Warm.  _ So warm. She snuggled into the solid form, wrapping her leg around the lower half of him and nuzzling into his chest.

Wait a second.

Her eyes flew open, finding herself pressed into the massive figure of Kylo and his arm slung casually over her hip. She shoved at his chest, feeling the sting of déjà vu as she scrambled away from him. 

He stirred from sleep, having shucked off his shirt at some point and she couldn’t seem to tear her eyes away from the taut muscle of his chest as it moved with his stretch. He cracked open an eye, giving her a lazy grin. “Morning.”

“I thought I told you to sleep on the couch!” she shrieked.

He clicked his tongue, rolling his eyes as he leaned on his fist. “Your couch is uncomfortable. Plus,” he winked, “you make a much nicer bedmate than Armitage.”

“You can’t just sneak into my bed whenever you feel like it!” she argued.

“Why not?” he countered. “You weren’t complaining when you spent half the night wrapped around me.”

“You— you awful— ugh!” she reeled, unable to form a coherent retort through the blazing anger and embarrassment she felt. 

The day before had been trying, Kylo proving he’d meant exactly what he’d said and following her every move. She didn’t know what he wanted more, her firstborn or just to make her life miserable. She was still seething when she stepped out of her bed, leaving a smirking Kylo wrapped in her sheets to head for the shower. 

“Nice underwear,” he teased. “I like the cats.”

She knew she should have worn pajama bottoms to bed. She should have known locking her bedroom door would do nothing. She didn’t dare give him the satisfaction of a response, knowing he was just trying to get a rise out of her.

Her attempts the previous day at guessing his name had been an utter failure, starting with the most common names she knew. John, Adam, and James had been a no go. Maybe she should just pick up a baby name book and start working her way through. She groaned at the thought, knowing that would take her months just to get through the A’s. 

She stomped out of her bedroom, slamming the door to her bathroom. She locked the door, eyeing the mechanism with disdain for having failed her so often lately. She was so angry with herself for the way she’d woken up wrapped around him, the memory of his warmth still vivid in her mind. 

It had just been too long since she’d been with anyone. That’s all it was. Although it didn’t help that Kylo was so damned nice to look at… when he wasn’t making her want to punch him that is. She gave the door one last wary glance, deciding she should just shower as quickly as possible before Kylo decided to come torment her there as well. 

She was in and out of the shower in no time at all, deftly wrapping the largest towel she owned around herself before returning to her bedroom. He was still lounging in her bed where she’d left him, and she scowled at his comfortable familiarity. His arms rested behind his head, his eyes traveling over the length of her towel clad body with interest. 

“The idea of fulfilling the contract myself is getting more and more appealing,” he murmured. 

She blushed, moving into her closet to gather her clothes. “Don’t you dare come in here.”

He grinned as she began to shut the door behind her. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

_ Sure you wouldn’t,  _ she groused internally. 

When she was sufficiently dressed, she finally felt safe to return to her room. She found Kylo dressed as well, wondering to herself where he even kept these spare clothes. Did he just materialize them out of thin air? Actually, she decided she didn’t want to know. The less she knew of Kylo’s weirdness the better.

“Do you really have to follow me again?” she grumbled.

He cocked his head in confusion. “I have to protect my—”

“ _ Your investment,”  _ she cut him off, irritated. “I hate it when you refer to me that way.”

He grinned cheekily. “Oh? Did you want to mean more to me?”

She frowned, realizing she was doing some variation of just that more and more the longer she was around him. She was afraid her face would get stuck in a permanent scowl. “I’m going for a late breakfast with my friend, Rose. It’s going to be weird if you’re hovering over me.”

“A female friend?” he wondered.

“ _ Yes,  _ a female friend. No one to knock me up. So why don’t you just catch up on personal time?” she tried her luck. 

He tapped his chin. “I suppose a short reprieve might be alright. I have things to check on anyway. Armitage will go with you.”

“Oh no,” she argued. “I can’t take the imp. How will I explain  _ that?”  _

Kylo waved her off. “I’ll make him unseen. Problem solved.”

“I don’t like the idea of him following me where I can’t see him either,” she groused.

“Such a demanding thing,” he chuckled. “ _ Fine,  _ I will make him unseen to all but you. Better?”

“I  _ guess,” _ she relented, figuring it was better than nothing.

“Excellent,” Kylo beamed. “Have a fruitful day.”

She rolled her eyes, leaving him sitting on her bed and striding towards the front door. Armitage was sitting cross legged on her kitchen counter, smiling up at her as if he already knew of their plans.

“I’m to accompany you, I am,” he informed her.

“Well come on then,” she sighed. “Just don’t do anything weird.”

Armitage scoffed. “I’m not weird, I isn’t.”

She eyed his tiny figure, his feathered wings and his shock of ginger hair. “Sure,” she muttered. “Let’s just get this over with.”

* * *

 

“I mean it Armitage,” Rey whispered to the tiny figure perched on her shoulder. “Nothing weird.”

“You worry too much, you does,” he scolded. “Armitage is a good Brownie.”

She sighed wearily, hoping he just kept quiet so she could try and forget he was there. The flutter of wings every so often by her ear didn’t help matters. 

Rose pushed through the cafe door then, waving at her from across the room and she heard Armitage suck in a breath.

“Who is  _ that?”  _ he whispered curiously. 

“That’s Rose,” she muttered under her breath, trying to move her lips as little as possible.

“She’s… she’s right pretty, she is,” Armitage marveled.

Great. Her little fairy watchdog had a crush on her best friend. That would be a fun one to explain. Rose took a seat, taking in Rey’s disgruntled expression. “You look tired. Are you not sleeping well?”

_ On the contrary _ , she thought to herself,  _ I slept better than ever.  _ Which is what had her so annoyed.

“I’m fine,” Rey assured her. “Just a weird night.”

They ordered their breakfast when the waitress came by, chatting idly until it came and promptly digging in when it did.

“Can I say hi to the pretty lady?” Armitage asked.

Rey ignored him, trying to focus instead on Rose. “So how is work?”

Rose grimaced. “Stupid editor still riding my case. I swear he lives to make my life miserable.”

“Why don’t you just call him out?” Rey wondered.

“And lose my job?” she scoffed. “I may hate him but I love working for The Resistance.”

Rose had worked at  _ The Resistance  _ magazine for a couple of years now. They spoke out on all sorts of current events issues— global warming, international trade, corporate espionage… you name it. She was a regular freedom fighter with a laptop. Rey knew Rose loved it there, but her editor was a complete dick.

“I’m sorry,” Rey offered. “I wish he would just take a hike and they’d make you editor instead.”

“Yeah,” Rose laughed. “That’ll be the day. As if they’d let  _ me  _ be an editor.”

“Please?” Armitage pressed. “I think she’ll like me, she will.”

“ _ No,”  _ Rey hissed.

Rose gave her a confused look. “No?”

_ Shit.  _ She hadn’t meant to say anything out loud. “Um, just meant don’t sell yourself short. You would make a great editor. Sorry, I guess I am a little tired still.”

“It’s fine babe,” Rose assured her. “Has work gotten any better?”

“Actually…” Rey started. “The local Mega Hobby burned down three nights ago.”

“Oh my God, really?” Rose marveled.

Rey nodded. “Yeah, it was crazy. Ever since though we’ve seen an influx in customers.”

“Well, I mean that’s  _ awful _ , but good for you at least… right?” Rose offered.

_ Yeah except my weird evil genie is the one who burned it down.  _ “I guess so,” she said instead. “Just feels weird.”

“Hey, don’t get yourself down,” Rose urged. “It isn’t like it's  _ your  _ fault.”

“Yeah…” Rey replied guiltily.  _ If you only knew. _

_ “ _ So anything else new?” Rose pressed.

Rey considered. She had no idea how long Kylo was going to be around and she thought it was probably a good idea if she laid the groundwork for their lie now. “Um, I hired a grief counselor.”

Rose raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

Rey nodded. “Yeah… he’s very involved.”

“Involved how?” Rose wondered.

“Well…” Rey started, trailing off when she glanced at the window and was shocked to find her  _ counselor  _ in question just outside. He grinned at her through the window, moving to pull open the door and strolling inside. Rey groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Well for starters he’s always fucking around.”

Rose looked confused, and following the direction of Rey’s now pointing finger to Kylo’s approaching figure.

“ _ That’s  _ your counselor?” Rose hissed.

Rey nodded wearily. “Yeah, I’m really regretting  _ hiring  _ him.”

“Rey, he’s fucking  _ hot,”  _ Rose gaped.

“He’s a pain in my ass,” Rey corrected.

She fell quiet as he neared their table, giving him a wary look. “ _ Kylo,”  _ she accused, “I thought you had things to attend to?”

He shrugged. “I finished early. Couldn’t leave my favorite client all alone for too long, now could I?”

He noticed Rose then, still somewhat starstruck and gaping up at him. “Ah,” he corrected. “But I see you’re not alone.”

“No,” she grated. “I’m not. So how about I just call you later?”

He shrugged. “Can’t do that. We have an appointment.”

“An  _ appointment?”  _ she reeled.

“Grief doesn’t sleep and neither do we Rey. Isn’t that right?” he nodded cheerfully. “Oh… but you’ve been sleeping fairly well haven’t you?”

She was going to murder him. That’s all there was to it. Thankfully she doubted there would even be many repercussions, surely no one would miss an evil genie Fae monster. She knew if she protested he would simply stay there and make her life miserable, so instead she let out a resigned sigh. 

“I guess I’d better get to my appointment, Rose,” she huffed.

Rose glanced between the two of them, looking suspicious. “Are you sure everything is okay?”

_ No, no it most certainly isn’t.  _ “Yeah,” she lied. “Everything is fine.”

“Okay…” Rose responded, seeming not entirely convinced. 

“Don’t worry,” Kylo assured her. “I’m taking excellent care of our Rey.”

Rose nodded. “Well… that’s good I guess.”

Rey gave Rose a goodbye, dragging Kylo by the arm to get him as far away from Rose as possible. When they were outside, she turned to scold him. “Really? I can’t even have breakfast?”

He grinned. “You were done with your food. I made sure to wait.”

“You’re impossible.” she huffed.

“I’ve heard worse,” he shrugged. “Now let’s go.”

“Where are we going?” she pressed suspiciously. 

His grin turned sly then, giving her a wink that did all sorts of odd things to her insides. “You’ll see.”

* * *

“Oh my God,” Rey groaned. “You didn’t.”

“What?” Kylo retorted. “I hear this is an excellent way to meet people.”

She eyed the sign for the speed dating convention again, shaking her head. “This is mortifying.”

“Oh come now,” Kylo shushed her. “It might be fun. Plus, I’ll be right beside you the entire time.”

“Oh,” she replied cheekily. “Thank God for  _ that.” _

“That’s the spirit,” he chuckled, attaching the name tag to his chest as she did the same. 

“Is your name Jacob?” she asked him.

He clicked his tongue, shaking his head. “Afraid not.”

“Shit,” she muttered. She’d already tried Robert, and obviously that had been a bust as well. 

“One more for today,” he beamed. “Better make it count.”

They were ushered to their seats then, pulling her from her inner search of another name. Kylo was seated across from her to start, the women all seated on one side and the men on the other. The women were to remain seated, and only the men shuffling to the right to give new partners every ten minutes. 

“Ah, I know it will be hard to compete with me but try to give my successors a chance,” he teased.

“I hate you,” she grumbled.

“Such a grumbly kitten,” he laughed as the first bell sounded. He leaned on his fist, grinning across the table at her. “So tell me about yourself.”

“What can I tell you that you don’t already know?” she groused.

“Fair point,” he concurred. “Hm… tell me about your biggest fear.”

She was taken aback, not prepared for such a personal question. “Um, spiders?”

He shook his head. “Incorrect. Dig deep Rey, what fills you with such dread that it leaves you breathless?”

She considered… thinking about the loss of her father and not having any real family left. “I guess… I guess I’m afraid of being alone.”

He studied her expression, curious. “That is an appropriate fear.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but was silenced by the sound of the midway bell that signaled that the other person begin to talk about themselves instead.

“So what about you?” she wondered. “What is your biggest fear?”

He was quiet for several moments, his expression turning somber for the first time since he’d shown up in her life unannounced. When he responded, his voice was quiet and unlike him. “I suppose… I am afraid of being forgotten.”

She furrowed her brow, not understanding. “What does that mean?”

He smiled sadly, the action a stark contrast to his usual snark. “I am afraid of losing the person I was forever.”

She was left so confused, having no idea what he had meant and was just about to press him for more details when the second bell rang. He gave her a long look before he finally rose from his seat to take the next one. She was still eyeing him when her next date took a seat across from her, introducing himself and pulling her from her musings.

She tried to focus on the man across from her, a handsome accountant, but she found herself dwelling on Kylo’s cryptic answer for much of the afternoon. She didn’t know why she cared, but she wanted to know about the person he was… and why he didn’t want to lose him.

* * *

“Seriously,” she sighed, “you  _ can’t _ sneak into my bed again.”

She’d had a trying day, the speed dating turning out to be the most exhausting ordeal she’d ever experienced. It hadn’t helped that Kylo had approached anyone she’d even seemed mildly interested in after the event and pressed them about having children. He really was his own worst enemy in this game of his.

“Fine,” he relented, rising from the couch and moving passed her. “Then I won’t.”

“Where are you going?” she demanded, following after him. 

“To bed,” he informed her. “It isn’t sneaking if I start out there.”

“You can’t just—” she sputtered, “you can’t just do whatever you want!”

He turned, backing her against the hallway and leaning on one hand to cage her in. “I think you’ll find I can.”

She swallowed, his nearness leaving her confused and unable to remember what she’d been so mad about. “Just… just don’t try anything funny.”

He laughed, backing away. “I would never actually touch you without your permission. Not that I’m not certain you wouldn’t give it to me if I wanted you to.”

Her mouth fell open, letting out a growl as she shoved passed his still chuckling figure. She crawled into her bed, scooting as far to the edge as space would allow and tucking her spare pillows between them. He was still laughing as he crawled into her bed, rolling to his back and letting his hands rest behind his head. 

It was quiet in the dark for a long time, and Rey felt her anger subsiding, giving way to a curiosity for her strange bedmate. 

“Kylo?” she called quietly.

“Hm?” he answered.

“Why  _ do _ you do this?” she pressed, hoping for once he gave her a straight answer.

He lay quiet, the silence stretching between them before he finally let out a sigh. “I don’t have any other choice.”

“Everyone has a choice,” she argued.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he accused, sounding irritated. “You don’t know anything about me.”

“Whose fault is that?” she accused right back.

He fell quiet again, seeming to consider that. “Fair enough.”

“You alluded to doing this for someone else… does someone have a hold on you?” she pressed.

She rolled to look at him, his face only partially lit in the moonlight that streamed in through her window and she watched as he nodded slowly. 

Again silence stretched between them, and for a while she thought he was done with the conversation. She’d almost thought he’d fallen asleep before he finally began to speak quietly.

“I was human once,” he explained. “I made a deal, much like you did.”

“So… this thing you do… this thing that you are… that was your price?” she wondered.

Another nod. “I couldn’t have known it would be such a consuming price to pay.”

She thought about that, wondering why she suddenly felt sorry for him. He just sounded so sad about the whole thing. “Is there nothing you can do to get free?” 

He shook his head. “Only someone else can save me.”

She fell quiet for a time, considering. When she finally spoke, she couldn’t understand why she meant what she said,only that she did. “I would help you. If I knew how.”

She thought she saw him smile in the darkness, but in the minuscule light she couldn’t be sure. “I just bet you would.” He rolled to his side then, turning away from her. “It’s late. Go to sleep.”

She settled into her pillow, suddenly remembering she still had one guess left.

“Kylo?” she called out again.

He sighed. “Yes?”

“Is it George?” she posed.

He barked out a laugh, his shoulders shaking with amusement. “That’s the worst one yet.”

She actually smiled to herself, pulling the covers tighter around her. “Goodnight, Kylo.”

She barely heard him respond, nothing more than a whisper as he replied, “Goodnight, Rey.”


	5. Terribly Fun

* * *

 

“Tell me about your past,” Rey sought over breakfast the next day.

“My past?” Kylo echoed.

Rey nodded. “Who were you, before this?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Are you trying to cheat? I can’t tell you my name.”

She shook her head. “No, no, it’s just that I’m curious.”

He considered, still eyeing her skeptically. “Well… I was a writer.”

“Really? What did you write?” she wondered.

“Poetry, mostly,” he answered flippantly, taking a bite of the waffle she’d made him. “This is fantastic by the way.”

“You’ve never had a waffle?” she laughed.

“Nope. Seems a shame now,” he shrugged.

“So… what kind of poetry?” she pressed.

He glanced up at her over his fork, smirking. “Why so interested in me all of the sudden? Finally warming up to me?”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. Never mind. I’m just trying to know you a little better.”

“I can think of an excellent way to know me a little better if you’re so inclined,” he teased, winking at her.

“Do you always have to be so terrible?” she grumbled, blushing.

He shrugged, taking another bite. “Comes with the job description.”

“So I guess you probably _intervene_ fairly often then, huh?” she asked scornfully, not knowing why the idea of it soured her mood.

“No, I have never intervened,” he answered truthfully. “Never had to.”

“Then why do you keep threatening me with it?” she reeled.

He grinned. “Because it’s terribly fun.”

She sighed, rubbing her temples and shaking her head. “You’re going to drive me insane.”

“I doubt that very much,” he chuckled.

He took his then empty plate to the sink then, rinsing it before putting it in her dishwasher and then crossing to take hers to do the same. He was actually kind of helpful when he wasn’t being a complete ass.

“Work again today?” he asked from across the kitchen.

She nodded back at him. “Yes, the shipment of model trains I ordered should be in today and I need to help Poe set them up.”

“I’ll be coming with you,” he informed her matter of factly.

She sighed. “I assumed you would.”

“Is it really so terrible having me around? I’m not so bad,” he pressed quietly.

She chewed her lip, unable to argue when she knew it was untrue. “I guess not. You’d actually be sort of bearable if you weren’t constantly trying to get me knocked up.”

He laughed softly to himself. “Fair enough.”

Rey glanced around the kitchen, noticing the absence of their tiny friend. “Where is Armitage?”

“Following your friend around still I imagine,” he shrugged.

“Rose?” she sought.

He nodded. “He’s quite taken with her. Even asked me for a favor on her behalf.”

Rey groaned. “Oh no, what did you do?”

“I was only able to do so because you wished it,” he clarified.

She wracked her brain, trying to remember what she could have possible said and as if by a stroke of fate her phone began to ring then. She scrambled for it, answering the call and putting it to her ear. “Hello?”

“Oh my God, Rey. You’ll never guess what happened!” Rose half shouted.

Rey furrowed her brow, almost afraid of what it might be. She glanced to a smiling Kylo, sighing softly. “What?”

“My editor up and quit this morning!” she squealed.

“He did, did he?” Rey answered, still eyeing Kylo.

“Yeah, it’s the strangest thing. He said something about wanting to go on a year long hike in the mountains of Tibet to do some soul searching. Isn’t that crazy?” Rose sought.

“Yeah, it’s crazy alright,” she muttered, shaking her head.

“But that’s not the best part,” Rose gushed. “Guess who they chose to take his place?”

“You?” Rey wondered, already knowing the answer.

“Yes!” Rose shrieked. “It’s a dream come true.”

“More like a wish come true…” Rey sighed.

“What’s that?” Rose pressed.

“Nothing,” Rey answered flippantly. “I’m so happy for you!”

“We need to go out tonight and celebrate,” Rose urged.

Rey cocked an eyebrow. She hadn’t been _out_ in months. “Tonight? What did you have in mind?”

“Let’s go to that bar downtown,” Rose decided. “ _Kanata’s.”_

“A bar? I don’t know…” Rey answered warily.

“Oh come on, it’ll be fun! You could ask your hot grief counselor to come,” Rose nudged teasingly.

“Somehow I don’t think I’ll have any problems getting him to come with,” she sighed, eyeing a now smirking Kylo.

“It’s decided then,” Rose affirmed. “Meet me at seven?”

“Sure thing,” Rey agreed.

She hung up the phone then, placing it on the counter and frowning at Kylo. “I suppose that was the favor Armitage asked for on Rose’s behalf?”

He shrugged. “Quite fortuitous wouldn’t you say?”

“Is her editor going to be alright?” she pressed.

He waved her off. “He was very surprised at how much he suddenly loved hiking. He’s perfectly content.”

“Sure he is,” Rey sighed. “Rose wants to celebrate tonight.”

“Oh, how fun,” Kylo agreed. “Where are we going?”

“A bar,” Rey answered.

“Perfect place to meet people,” he urged, rubbing his chin.

“Yes, I thought you’d think so.” Rey rolled her eyes, leaving the barstool she’d been sitting on. “I’m going to shower, try not to set up any arranged marriages for me while I’m gone.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Rey,” he snarked.

She couldn’t help it, she almost laughed at that one.

When she’d returned from her shower, dressed and ready to leave for work, she found Kylo at the sofa table behind her couch, studying the photos there. He noticed her approach, pointing at one curiously. “Is this your father?”

She nodded. “It is.”

“He looked happy,” Kylo remarked.

“He was,” Rey affirmed. “He was always so warm and kind.”

“Sounds like a good father,” he mumbled.

“He really was,” Rey replied softly.

“You miss him,” Kylo noticed.

She glanced at his curious expression, nodding. “Every day.”

“I’m sorry,” he offered. “For what it’s worth.”

She looked away, running a finger over her father’s face in the frame and smiling softly. “Thank you. Maybe one day it will get easier.”

“Perhaps,” Kylo offered, “if you’re lucky.”

Rey chuckled. “As old Ben used to say, ‘ _In my experience, there’s no such thing as luck.’”_

Ben gave her an odd expression. “His name was Ben?”

She nodded, his shocked curiosity giving her pause. “Yes. Why?”

He shook his head. “Nothing. I just knew a Ben once… but he’s gone now.”

“I’m sorry,” she offered.

He stared down at her father’s picture for a few more moments, finally shaking his head. “Never mind that. Let’s get on with your day. We have some fun to get to tonight.”

“Right,” she grumbled, following his retreating figure towards the door. “Fun.”

There was no way this was going to end well.

* * *

The bar that night was crowded, Rey having to push her way through throngs of people in search of her friend. Kylo stayed close by, trailing after her through the thick press of bodies. He’d been a distraction in his right, black shirt and dark jeans, Rey finding herself sparing him a glance far more often than she would have liked. Why did he have to be so damned good looking?

She spotted Rose seated at the back in a dimly lit booth, waving the pair of them over and Rey hurried to join her.

“Hello again, Rose,” Kylo offered kindly.

Rose grinned at the pair of them, surely seeing something that wasn’t there. “So glad Rey invited you,” she gushed. “Rey could use a little fun.”

“He’s only here as my counselor,” Rey protested feebly.

Rose gave her a skeptical look, nodding even as her eyes said she didn’t believe her. “Sure, he is.”

She winked at Kylo, who grinned back at her conspiratorially. “So I heard congratulations are in order?” Kylo asked.

Rose nodded happily. “It was the craziest thing, but I’m so excited!”

Kylo smirked, offering Rey a sly grin. “Very lucky for you.”

Rey had to suppress a scowl, not knowing why she was still so irritated with Kylo. No one had gotten hurt after all, and Rose really _did_ deserve that promotion… still, it seemed cheating somehow. It also made her feel indebted to Kylo, something she couldn’t afford to be.

They were interrupted by an approaching figure, and Rey almost spit out the drink she’d carried over when she recognized who had come up to their table.

A fully grown, wingless Armitage stood before them, dressed in an outfit similar to Kylo’s and grinning down at Rose. “Hello, Miss,” he greeted warmly. “I’d like to dance with you, I would.”

Rey grimaced, she didn’t know how he got that way, but it seemed nothing had been done about his odd speech patterns. Rose to her surprise looked flattered, giving Rey a shrug before taking the hand he offered. “Sure, why not?”

Rey watched incredulously as they disappeared into the crowd, making their way towards the dance floor. She turned on Kylo, reeling. “How did you do that?”

Kylo shrugged. “I can do a lot of things. It will only last twelve hours though.”

“Like Cinderella?” she sought.

“Something like that,” he chuckled. “It will be at least a week before I can do it again though. It takes quite a bit of magic. I’m curious as to what he’ll offer your friend about his absence. If it even comes to that.”

“He must _really_ like her,” Rey marveled.

Kylo nodded. “Yes, he must. He’s never asked me for anything for himself in the hundred years I’ve known him.”

Rey reeled. “Excuse me? _A hundred years?”_

Kylo cocked an eyebrow. “Oh did I forget to mention that?”

Rey scoffed. “Yeah, I’d say you did.”

She was surprised when they were interrupted then, a handsome stranger taking advantage of the distance between the two of them and assuming she was fair game. He asked her to dance, and despite herself she found she looked to Kylo in question. He nodded passively, urging her to do so. “Sounds like a good idea to me.”

She frowned, shaking away the odd disappointment she felt and taking the stranger’s hand. He led her to the dance floor, pulling her close to sway to the music even as he told her about himself. She wanted to listen to him, she really did, but she kept finding her eyes meeting Kylo’s from across the room. He watched her with an unreadable expression, his eyes dark in the dim lighting of the booth.

She’d turned away to answer a question her partner had asked, and when she glanced back towards their booth, she found it empty. She wondered maybe if Kylo had left, and again she wondered what the lingering sense of disappointment she felt could mean.

When the song ended, she was just about to give her apologies to her partner, knowing she had no desire to share another dance when she found Kylo standing beside them. He towered over her current partner, giving him a disgruntled expression. “I’ll take it from here.”

The man glanced between them with an odd look, seeming to try and puzzle out what was going on between them. Rey couldn’t help but wonder the same. Her new friend backed away graciously, seeming to sense where he wasn’t wanted and leaving the two of them on the floor. Kylo pulled her close, moving to the soft notes of the song that was playing and remaining quiet.

Unable to stand the silence, she decided to break it. “So, did you just get lonely or…?”

“Something like that,” he murmured.

“I won’t find a boyfriend if you scare them off,” she laughed softly.

“I know that,” he continued quietly, “yet here I am.”

He glanced down at her then, his eyes dark and unreadable. “You look nice tonight.”

She looked down at the navy blue of her tiny dress, grinning softly to herself before meeting his eyes again. “A compliment? What’s the catch?”

He shook his head. “No catch, it’s just the truth.”

She didn’t like the way he was looking at her, mostly because she didn’t like the way it made her feel. She could almost pretend they were here on a date, that he wasn’t some weird Fae monster after her future child for some nefarious purposes. She knew thoughts like that were dangerous, and that they would lead nowhere, but it didn’t stop her from thinking them.

She remained quiet as he moved her in time with the music, trying not to focus on the way he felt pressed against her. It was such a natural thing to allow her head to rest against his shoulder, and she didn’t allow herself to second guess it as she did so. She felt him tense for only a moment, and it was only seconds later she felt his head resting against the crown of her own.

 _What was happening here?_ She wanted the answer… and yet she was afraid to find out.

When the song ended, Kylo stilled, and she pulled away to look up at him. He stared at her for what seemed like forever, his eyes passing over her mouth as if maybe…

Then he was leaning, and she knew what came next. She was afraid, she was _exhilarated,_ and yet mostly she just needed to know what his lips felt like. He was only a breath away then, and any second she would find out.

“There you are, you is!” A voice sounded beside them.

They broke apart suddenly, and Rey felt a blush creeping up her neck as she remembered herself. There were so many reasons why what had been about to happen was a bad idea that she couldn’t even begin to count them all. She barely knew what Kylo _was—_ she had no business wondering what his lips felt like.

He cleared his throat, shooting Armitage an even look that could almost be construed as a glare. He backed away from her, giving her one last glance.

“I have to go,” he said suddenly. “I’ll see you later.”

She watched him go, his retreating figure leaving an odd sensation in her chest. Almost like an emptiness she didn’t understand. She didn’t even _like_ Kylo… right?

Then why did she want to go after him?

When he was gone, Armitage was pulling her away, oblivious to the moment he’d just interrupted and Rey told herself it was for the better. She followed Armitage back to their booth towards a waiting Rose, dodging the questions of where Kylo had run off to and making excuses for him. It didn’t hurt that he’d left.

She just had to keep telling herself that.

* * *

When she crawled into bed that night, she stared at the empty space beside her for a very long time. She had no idea where Kylo had went, or even how to get ahold of him. She had replayed the moment on the dance floor over and over again, and each time she did she still couldn’t figure out what it meant to her.

She couldn’t deny that she had been attracted to Kylo from the start, or even that things had gotten any better on that front since he’d invaded her space. However, to entertain anything more with him was absolutely ludicrous. They were literally from two different worlds, and the only reason he was even with her was to satisfy some dark contract she hadn’t even meant to make.

Still… he’d almost kissed her. She was sure of that.

_Then why did he run away right after?_

Probably because he knew it was a bad idea. If she was smart, she would forget the whole thing and pretend it never happened. It was more than likely that Kylo would do the exact same thing. If he ever came back that is.

She considered the possibility that he might not come back. Perhaps he would only watch from afar and not return until things progressed naturally. Involve himself with other ventures in the meantime as it were.

She shook her head against her pillow, assuring herself that he would come back. Kylo was not the type to give up before he saw things through, even she could tell that in the short time since she’d met him. He was as stubborn as the day was long.

He would come back… she just knew it.


	6. Please Come Back

* * *

 

Morning brought a new day— but no Kylo. She hadn’t heard from him or Armitage since the night prior, and she was surprised by how _empty_ her apartment felt without them. She shuffled to the kitchen, making her coffee and lingering in the silent space that seemed too big without the snarky comments and the whimsical speech.

Did she… did she actually _miss_ them?

That was utterly ridiculous. They’d been nothing but thorns in her side, making her life difficult at every turn. Hadn’t they? Then why did she feel so lonely in that moment? Already she’d become used to the their presence in her space, and now that they’d disappeared she felt almost like something was missing.

She shook away those errant thoughts, telling herself she was being ridiculous. It had only been twelve hours… surely they would come back.

She downed her coffee quickly, setting her cup in the sink and making her way to the bathroom to take a shower. She glanced around her bedroom as she gathered her clothes for the day, in the habit now of being modest in her own room because of Kylo’s normally smirking presence.

That stupid smirk of his. Always taunting her, driving her crazy… where had he _gone?_

It hit her then, like a bag of bricks over the head and she was left standing dumbstruck outside of the shower as the water fell errantly into the tub. She _did_ miss him. When the hell had that happened?

She started to laugh, a low chuckle that quickly morphed into a hysterical sound that she felt deep in her belly. Of _course_ she would be the one to start to feel something for a century old Fae monster who drove her mostly insane. She laughed to keep away the lingering fear that she might never see him again, knowing deep down that something had changed last night. The only problem was… she wasn’t so sure Kylo wanted anything to change.

He’d run away at the first sign of something forming between them, and she knew that was telling of how he felt on the matter. To him, she was just a contract. Just a job that had to be done. He’d made that painfully clear when he’d run away.

She took a deep breath when she’d come to her senses, telling herself that she would not allow her realization to rule her. She wouldn’t think about fairies or babies or contracts… and she _definitely_ wouldn’t think about _him._

* * *

She’d made it all of six minutes. Even in that small amount of time she couldn’t be sure if he hadn’t snuck into her thoughts somehow. She sat at the computer at the store, logging the sales records for the day prior as Poe milled about out front stocking shelves. She was pleased at least to see that their revenue had increased by at least ten percent this week, and begrudgingly she knew that she had Kylo to thank.

There he was again… sneaking into her thoughts.

She let out a sigh, giving in to her urges and switching her screen over to the internet browser. She checked the door to the office, making sure Poe was still occupied elsewhere and typed in her desired topic.

There were hundreds of links on the Fae, each article revealing some new alleged information and she wasn’t even sure where to begin. She decided to try and narrow it down to what she knew, deciding to focus on Kylo’s loophole regarding the uncovering of his real name.

She spent the greater part of an hour scouring the web, finding mostly bad romance novel links and loosely interpreted fairy tale reviews. When she had almost given up, she scrolled past an article that showed promise, the link titled, “ _What’s In A Name? A Study of the Fae”._ She clicked it curiously, beginning to read.

_In regards to the magic of the Fae, nothing is thought to be more powerful than one’s true name. In many writings, it has been said that to obtain a Fae’s name is to bind them. Others say it can free them. It has been often thought that the entire archetype of the Fae could have been a cursed existence, a binding of the spirit in flesh that would not allow them to die as they lived their life subservient to the one that held them._

_Of course, this is nothing more than speculation, and there are several academics in the study of Fae lore that would argue that the Fae would have been an elevated immortal race, enjoying the freedoms of magic and enchantments as they used them to assert their will over the lesser species (i.e. mortals)._

_It is unclear as to what the naming of a Fae would actually entail, but all texts seem to point to the same thing— one cannot truly know a Fae until one knows its name._

Great. That was only vaguely helpful. Still, the idea of finding Kylo’s name being his freedom was appealing. It sparked a kernel of memory in her, some lost conversation she couldn’t quite grasp.

She was interrupted of her musings by Poe, rapping his knuckles on the door frame. “Rose is here to see you.”

Rey frowned; she was sure she could guess what _that_ was about. Taking a deep breath, she rose from the desk chair to exit the office. She found Rose leaned over the counter, frowning at her from across the space.

“What’s wrong?” Rey wondered, even though already knowing the answer.

“So that guy last night, Armitage?” she started. “He just disappeared this morning.”

“Oh my God,” Rey groaned, the mental picture of Armitage engaging in sexual acts making her queasy. “Tell me you didn’t sleep with him on the first date.”

“God no,” Rose assured her. “But I did bring him home. He was just so sweet, you know? He’s so easy to talk to. Well, I mean, yeah, the accent was a little hard to get used to… I think he’s from like, Sweden or something. But we had a lot of fun last night. Then this morning, he’s just… gone.”

Rey bit her lip, knowing she couldn’t tell Rose the truth. She’d probably try to have her committed. She wished Armitage had at least attempted to offer some sort of explanation for his absence, but to be fair careful planning didn’t really scream Armitage.

“Maybe he had an emergency?” Rey offered. “I’m sure you’ll hear from him. He seemed to really like you.”

Rose shrugged half heartedly. “I don’t know… to just disappear without a word… that’s kind of messed up.”

Rey nodded in sympathy. “I know, babe. Surely there’s a good explanation.”

Rose frowned. “Maybe.”

“Hey, stop letting it bother you. He’s just a dumb guy and you’re a badass magazine editor, remember?” she comforted.  

Rose nodded with more force. “You know what? You’re right. I mean I just met the guy. It’s stupid to let it bother me this much.”

Rey sighed, knowing the feeling all too well. Rose wasn’t the only one who’d been suddenly walked out on. “Hey,” she asserted. “Let’s go get some lunch. Put the boy troubles behind us.”

“You too?” Rose wondered.

Rey shrugged one shoulder, trying not to seem too downtrodden. “It’s nothing.”

Rose frown deepened, huffing out a sigh. “Fuck boys.”

“Hey,” Poe interrupted as he approached the counter. “I resent that.”

Rose scoffed. “Only because you _do_ fuck boys.”

He grimaced. “Are you even a lady? First of all, no, I only like men. Not boys.”

“And second of all?” Rose laughed, her spirits seeming slightly lifted with their banter.

“Second of all, are you even a lady? You’re so gross.” He snorted.

“Whatever,” she waved him off. “Want to grab lunch with us too? Shut this place down for an hour?”

He considered, glancing at the now empty store and shrugging. “Actually that sounds great. Let me grab the keys.”

Rey watched her friends as they readied to go, her mind still far away and wondering about her own man troubles. She couldn’t get the article out of her mind, nor the spark of familiarity that lingered just outside of her memory. It was frustrating, unable to grasp at whatever she’d forgotten. Rose called after her at the door, pulling Rey from her musings and she followed her and Poe out of the store. Maybe with enough distraction she could get through the day without thinking of him.

Maybe.

* * *

The day had never gotten any easier. It had been almost twenty-four hours since she’d seen or heard from Kylo, and even though that may have seemed a menial span of time to some, to her it had felt like an eternity. She sat in the middle of her bed, leaned against the headboard and staring at nothing.

It was odd, but it was almost as if she could _feel_ him. As if even then he was there, watching unseen. The thought should have made her uneasy, but oddly enough it almost comforted her. If only she could see him again, tell him how much she’d come to miss him. She thought that Kylo needed to hear that. She suspected it had been a very long time since someone had missed him.

Her eyes passed over the empty space of her bedroom, lingering on the empty chair that sat in the corner and sighing. If she concentrated hard enough she could almost see him there, smirking at her and making an inappropriate comment. The image made her smile.

Placated, she settled under her sheets and rolled to her side to allow her gaze to remain on the empty chair. She stared at it for a long time, thinking that if perhaps she willed it he would appear.

“Come back,” she whispered into the darkness. “Please come back.”

She let her eyes drift closed, sleep a welcome reprieve from all the unbidden feelings she was currently experiencing. It was as if once she’d opened that door she couldn’t force it back closed. No, sleep was better. Sleep meant she could pretend he’d never left.

Even if only for a little while.

* * *

It was still dark when she opened her eyes. She didn’t know what woke her, but it took her eyes several moments to adjust to the room only dimly lit by filtered moonlight from outside.

She jolted upwards when she noticed him folded into the small chair in the corner, his elbows resting at his knees and his chin perched in his hands as he watched her quietly.

“You came back,” she whispered, voice still heavy with sleep.

He nodded slowly. “I did.”

“Where did you go?” she wondered.

He continued to study her quietly. “It’s not a good idea. Whatever this is.”

She bit her lip. “What are you afraid of?”

She could just make out the slight clench of his jaw, his face bathed in moonlight as he leaned forward. “If I care about you… I will lose you. That’s just how it is.”

Her fingers gripped at the sheets, wringing them nervously in her hands. “Do you?”

His answering voice came so low she almost missed it. “I think you already know the answer to that.”

She swung slowly over the side, letting her feet touch the ground and rising slowly. He stiffened as she approached, eyes fixed on her as she padded across the room.

“Still,” she added softly. “I need to hear it.”

She stood just in front of him, only a breath away and he stared up at her with wide eyes. His expression remained passive but his eyes… his eyes seemed terrified.

“Tell me,” she urged quietly, her fingers carding through his hair as he leaned into her touch.

“Yes,” he whispered. “I care about you.”

She smiled, pulling him closer to her as his arms encircled her waist to cling to her. “Don’t be afraid… I feel it too.”

He looked up at her, his mouth turned up in the barest of smiles. “So, you’re finally recognizing how fantastic I am then?”

She shoved him away, grinning. “Trust you to ruin the moment.”

He stood then, towering over her as his hands moved to cup her jaw. “I’ll give you a moment.”

Then he was kissing her, his lips a sudden shock as they moved over hers with a fierceness that made her dizzy. She didn’t hesitate, molding into him and meeting his kiss with equal fervor. If she was being honest with herself, she’d wanted to do this since that first day. He didn’t feel like a monster pressed against her, he only felt like a _man._ One she was glad to have returned to her.

She felt his hands at her waist, skirting under the edge of her thin tank top and the warmth of them almost burning her skin. She was crushed against his chest, her breasts pressed against the hard muscle and her nipples pebbling with the contact. He groaned into her mouth, breaking away from her with a grin.

“Do you always forego a bra when sleeping?” he teased.

She smacked his arm, laughing softly. He glanced down at her then, swallowing as his gaze passed over her body lit by moonlight and his eyes darkening. His eyes lingered there, his fingers tightening their grip at her waist as he slowly brought his gaze back up to meet hers.

“Did you know I’ve never had to trick someone into a contract before?” he murmured. “Most come freely, for one reason or another.”

“Then why?” she wondered.

“Because… from the minute you showed up at my door, drenched to the bone and still smiling at me like you carried the sun in your pocket… I think I knew even then I wouldn’t want to let you go,” he admitted quietly.

She huffed out a laugh. “I can’t decide if that’s creepy or romantic.”

“A bit of both, perhaps?” he chuckled.

She bit her lip, chewing at it nervously then. “Don’t leave again.”

He pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her hair. “I don’t want to.”

“Then don’t,” she whispered.

“I’m afraid I won’t have a choice,” he lamented. “I’m not afforded the luxury of making my own decisions.”

“How can I help you?” she wondered.

“Just… be here. For as long as we can just be with me,” he pleaded.

Her fingers clutched at his shirt, burrowing her face into the fabric as his arms wound around her. His thumbs rubbed slow circles into her arms where they fell, and she found his touch distracting. She tilted her chin, looking up at him and leaning on her toes to press her lips to his. His kiss was softer then, seeming to want to memorize the way her lips felt against his.

His hands were moving, brushing over her ribs, her hips, moving to rest just above where her tiny cotton shorts began. She tilted forward, pressing further against him and she felt his hands pressing at her lower back to aid her.

His tongue was seeking, pressing at her lips and she opened to let it wind with hers. She couldn’t ignore the heavy press of his arousal as it strained against his jeans, and she wantonly let her hand fall between them to palm over the tight denim. He shuddered, his lips stilling over hers.

“Nothing—” he rasped. “Nothing has to happen.”

“And if I want it to?” she whispered, suddenly afraid he didn’t want the same.

His jaw clenched, a rumble sounding in his chest even as he remained still as if he were unsure. She reached to let her fingers thread through his hair, forcing herself to be brave. “What if I said, _I wish?”_

His grin was slow, spreading across his face wickedly. “Then I imagine I’d have to oblige.”

She met his smile, pulling him down to her mouth. “Then I wish it.”

“Mm,” he murmured against her mouth, “your wish is my command.”

Then he was lifting her, pulling her to his chest as her legs wrapped around him. His mouth collided with hers, kissing her as if he were starved for her and she knew if he felt anything like she did— he was. He carried her across the room as if she were nothing, gently laying her over the top of her bed as he crawled over her.

The press of his body against hers was a welcome weight, his hand sliding down the length of her body as his mouth continued to devour hers. Holding his full attention as she did, that is exactly how she felt— _devoured._ The result of days of tension poured out between them like a crackling fire and threatened to consume them.

His fingers moved under the thin cotton of her top, grazing over the skin of her belly and traveling further to trace the soft underside of her breast. She shivered against his touch, sucking in a breath as his thumb flicked over the hardened peak of her nipple. She felt him inching up the fabric with his free hand, exposing her breasts as he broke away from her mouth to look at her.

“I’m suddenly so grateful for your bedtime attire,” he rumbled.

She could barely breathe as his head ducked to her chest, his lips wrapping around her nipple to suck at it softly. She felt his tongue swirling around the taut bud, a whimpered cry escaping her as he pulled at it with more force. She moaned loudly as his teeth grazed it, slapping a hand over her mouth in embarrassment.

He let her go with a _pop,_ reaching to grasp her hands and pin them above her. “I want to hear you.”

She swallowed around the lump in her throat, her chest heaving with arousal as he lowered to continue his attention to her nipple still wet from his tongue. Again he took it in his mouth, focusing his attentions until she was squirming beneath him. He moved to devote the same ministrations to its twin, leaving Rey a mewling mess, her back arching as her skin flushed.

He held her wrists in one large hand, moving the other to slide over her belly and between her legs to palm her through her thin shorts. Even through them and her underwear she could feel his finger tracing the seam of her, and she gasped from dual sensations above and below.

“ _Kylo,”_ she whimpered, “ _please.”_

She barely knew what she was asking for, her mind a fog of sensation and only knowing that she needed _more._ He moved to hook his fingers under the band of her shorts, tugging them and her underwear down in one fell swoop as he worked them over her thighs. She assisted in kicking them away, leaving her mostly exposed and her initial reaction was of embarrassment.

It faded when she noticed the hungry look in his eye, his full mouth clenching as his gaze took her in with adoration. “Do you know how hard it was sleeping next to you? To feel you wrapped around me? It’s been driving me insane. You’re _perfect.”_

Her reply was lost when his fingers parted her, stroking between her folds before easing two inside. Slowly he pumped them in and out of her, his thumb brushing over her clit to rub slow circles. His eyes were glued to the act, watching as she writhed beneath him, rolling her hips into his hand to seek more of his touch.

His thumb moved faster, his fingers picking up their pace, all the while watching her reaction as if to commit it to memory. Her breath left her in strangled pants, her eyes fluttering closed as a pressure coiled deep inside. She bit her lip so hard she feared it might bleed, the muscles of her abdomen tightening as she tumbled over the edge. Her body shook with orgasm, her mouth falling open in a silent cry.

He withdrew his fingers to stroke a lazy pattern at her clit, pulling wave after wave of quivering aftershock before finally allowing her reprieve. She lay beneath him, panting and sated, struggling to come down from the high of what he’d just done to her.

He leaned to flatten his tongue over her nipple once again, Rey shivering against the feel of his tongue. She tugged at her wrists, needing to touch him and he loosened his hold to allow her to do so. She let her fingers wind into his hair, tugging him upwards for a bruising kiss. She could feel him, his erection straining against his jeans and brushing against her and she realized he was far more overdressed than she would have liked.

She tugged at his shirt, urging it upwards and he shrugged out of it to allow her to pull it over his head. She ran her hands across the pale expanse of hard muscle, her fingers trailing over each ridge before traveling to the button of his jeans.

“Take these off,” she urged.

“Eager are we?” he smirked.

She rolled her eyes. “Getting less so.”

He rose to his knees, straddling her as he worked at the button of his jeans. He pulled them apart, pushing at the denim and cotton to free himself of them. She watched with wide eyes as his cock sprung forward, achingly hard and larger than she’d ever seen. He rolled his clothes over his legs, kicking them away and lowering again to hover over her.

She grew nervous then, a nagging thought overcoming her and she was unable to brush it away. He noticed her worried expression, frowning. “What is it?”

“It’s just… this isn’t you… _intervening…_ is it?” she asked, unsure.

He huffed out a breath, grabbing her hips and dipping to let his thick length rub against her core. “Does this feel like _obligation_ to you?”

She whimpered, the thick head of him rubbing against her still sensitive clit and causing her to shudder. He bent, pressing his lips to hers softly before backing away again to look at her. “But to ease your mind…” he trailed off, snapping his fingers as a condom appeared in his hand

She jolted, having never seen him actually use his hocus pocus and finding it daunting. “Well, that’s a neat trick.”

“Mm,” he agreed. “Never had to summon a condom before but I must admit it’s convenient.”

She watched his every move as he tore open the packet, working the condom over his length. He reached to tug at her tank, working it over her head to leave nothing else between them. Settling his weight back over her, he left slow kisses across her jaw, his hand sliding trailing down her body to rest at her thigh.

His other wound into her hair, angling her head to look at him. “Still wish it?”

She nodded softly, hooking her ankles around his waist. He grinned, his thumb brushing against her cheek. “I need to hear it.”

She gripped at his waist, her fingers digging into the hard muscles of his ass as she huffed out a breath. “I _wish_ you’d stop teasing me.”

Flashing a wicked grin, she felt him tilt his pelvis to nudge at her entrance. She hissed out a breath as he pressed inwards, her inner walls gripping at him as he sheathed himself inside her. She pulled her lip between her teeth, her eyes shut tight as she stretched around him.

He groaned, burrowing his face in her hair and sliding forward until he was flush against her. Her fingers clawed at his back, gripping him tightly with her legs in an attempt to pull him impossibly closer.

“ _Kylo,”_ she gasped frantically.

“I know,” he grated, “I _know.”_

Then he was moving, rolling into her at a languid pace, each thrust eliciting a sharp grunt that brushed against her ear. With every slide of his thick cock came broken praises, his words enveloping her like a second skin.

“ _So beautiful.”_

_“It’s too much.”_

_“I don’t— don’t want to lose this.”_

_“I can’t—”_

His lips moved over every bit of skin they could reach, tattooing his words into her skin with each press of his mouth. He slammed into her, every thrust jolting her entire body and almost seeming to bury her into the mattress. She could only hold on, lost in sensation as she felt the familiar heat blooming low in her belly, threatening to take hold once more.

Soft cries escaped her, her orgasm imminent and his name on her lips in a resounding plea. He left a lingering kiss at her jaw, breathing hard as his thrusts grew deeper and more erratic. Hushed urges to let go fell on her ear, his voice low and rough and wonderful as it fell over her skin.

Her entire body seemed to shake as she came, clinging to him wholly as her inner walls quivered around him. He moaned loudly, her trembling warmth driving him over the edge and it was only seconds that he pulled her close to seat himself deep inside. She felt every tiny movement as he emptied himself inside her, his arms shaking around her and his breath ragged.

She could only lie beneath him, her fingers trailing over his shoulders in a soothing motion as they returned to their senses. She felt him leaving soft kisses across her shoulder, lingering against her skin. He pulled out of her almost begrudgingly, a soft groan escaping him as he fell to his side to stare down at her.

He blew out a shuddering breath, his fingers tracing a lazy pattern just over her belly button. “It has been a very long time since I’ve done that.”

“Are you trying to tell me I’m lucky?” she chuckled.”

He grinned. “I would say I’m the lucky one.”

She bit back a grin of her own, rolling into him to burrow into his warmth. He gathered her in his arms, his hand tracing her spine as they settled into a comfortable position. He wound her comforter from underneath them, pulling it up and over even as he pulled her closer.

“Kylo?” she started after a time.

“Hm?” he answered.

“How did you become this way?” she wondered.

He fell quiet, seeming to be lost in thought for several moments before responding. “I knew a girl once. A girl I thought I loved.”

She couldn’t staunch the deep stain of jealousy that bloomed in her chest, immediately chastising herself over the ridiculous reaction. He took a deep breath, continuing. “She fell ill, and I thought I would lose her. The one who bound me… he offered a deal. I took it to save her.”

“Where is she now?” Rey wondered, willing the bitterness out of her voice.

“Long dead,” he replied evenly. “When I became what I am… she called me a monster. She left me. I heard she married not long after and lived a happy life. I saved her… only to lose her. Isn’t that something?”

Rey frowned, leaving a kiss over his heart. “You’re not a monster.”

He buried his face in her hair, his lips resting at her temple as his arms clung tightly around her.

“Tell me how I can save _you,”_ she pressed.

He left a kiss in her hair, sighing softly. “You know, in a lot of ways… you already have.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen I intended for this to be harder but it came out so fucking soft. Poor Kylo/Ben I has just been so lonely and I got wrapped up in those feels and this softfestfucking just poured out of me. _Sigh_.


	7. Still Here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smutty turned angsty nonsense.

 

* * *

She awoke suddenly, eyes flying open and immediately rolling to her side to lay a hand over his chest. She breathed a sigh of relief, settling back into a calmer state.

_Still here._

She took a moment to study him, his dark hair falling over his eyes and his mouth parted softly in sleep. He was so beautiful to her— so perfect in all his angles and irregularities. She gently reached out to let her finger trail over his chest, tracing a pattern between the beauty marks that dotted his skin.

He twitched when her finger trailed over his nipple, cracking open one eye and peeking out at her with a sleepy grin.

“Watching me sleep? I feel so violated,” he murmured.

She snorted. “That’s rich, coming from you.”

He rolled, pulling her against him and nuzzling into her hair. “Mm, while I do miss your adorable cat underwear I have to say waking up like this has its advantages.”

She felt the evidence of the early morning poking at her stomach, his hips rolling to let him slide between her thighs. She gasped softly as he stroked at the seam of her, already growing slick with arousal as he ground against her.

“ _Ah,”_ she sighed, her fingernails digging into his shoulder as the head of his cock nudged at her clit.

“You feel so _good,”_ he groaned. He ducked his head to brush his lips over hers, his voice low as he spoke. “I’ll never want to let you go.”

“Then don’t,” she replied softly.

He stilled, the briefest flash of pain passing over his features before morphing into hissignature smirk. He left a trail of kisses across her jaw, murmuring into her skin. “I bet you taste as good as you feel.”

Her breath hitched, Kylo trailing kisses down her throat and lowering to brush along her collarbone as he worked his way down her body. He jerked the sheet away from her, the bright morning sun leaving nothing to the imagination, and she instinctively moved to cover herself. He immediately took her wrists to pin them beside her, brushing his nose down her sternum before mouthing at the soft swell of her breast.

“It was so dark last night,” he hummed against her skin. “I want to see all of you.”

He let his tongue trail over her skin, flattening over her nipple before pulling it between his lips to suck. His grip on her wrists was tight, and she pressed her thighs together to combat the building pressure that flooded between them. Her inner walls clamped down around nothing, demanding attention, and still Kylo moved at an agonizingly slow pace.

She could feel him hard and insistent at her thigh, and he thrust against her skin even as he trailed over her rib cage before leaving a kiss at her navel. He was forced to release her from his grip then, his large fingers clasping at her waist and she let hers tangle in his hair as he tickled her skin with his scruff.

“ _Kylo,”_ she breathed desperately.

 _“_ Shh, I’ve got you,” he murmured.

She felt his tongue at the delicate swell of her hip bone, trailing a path across the gentle curve of her belly to land on the other side. She squirmed, his lips mouthing softly over her skin as he moved lower. He hovered over where she needed him most, looking up at her from between her legs and holding her gaze as he licked a hot stripe up the seam of her pussy.

Her back bowed as he repeated the action, his movements just as slow and tortuous as his prior attention. His tongue parted her, teasing her entrance before swirling upwards to lap at her clit. His large hands curled around her thighs, holding her open and rendering escape impossible. His mouth settled over the swollen bundle, sucking softly as his fingers released their hold to allow two to slide inside her.

He curled them, stroking at her inner walls as his tongue stroked over her clit that he held trapped between his lips. He hummed softly against it, his fingers beginning to pump into her. Her body felt keyed up beyond recognition, his languid movements keeping her just at the edge and unable to fully let go.

“ _Kylo_ ,” she mewled again, unable to formulate much else.

He released her clit, the tip of his tongue flicking at it as he let out another thoughtful hum. “I was right,” he rumbled. “You taste just as good.”

He let his tongue continue to flick softly against her throbbing clit, every tiny motion causing her to jolt as she remained coiled tight like a spring. She only need a slight pressure, just one heavy press of his fingers or tongue and she knew she would splinter into a thousand pieces.

“ _Please,”_ she begged, reduced to a simpering mess.

He laughed softly, settling his mouth over the tiny bundle and pulling at it at little harder before murmuring against it. “Since you said please…”

Then he became relentless, sucking at the taut nub roughly with hollowed cheeks. Her mouth fell open, strangled pleas falling from her lips and her fingers tangling in his hair to tug at the soft tresses. She pulled him further against her, her modesty thrown to the wind as her pleasure became her singular focus.

There was nothing beyond that moment. There was nothing beyond his _mouth._ His _tongue._ She felt her orgasm in the tips of her toes when she finally came, spreading through her lower limbs like liquid heat and settling in her chest to steal her breath. Through it all he held on, his tongue pulling wave after wave from her before she finally had to pull him away, unable to take anymore.

She could taste herself on his tongue when he crawled back over her to kiss her, the heady flavor doing wicked things to her, and suddenly she needed nothing more than to feel him inside her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, tugging him towards her and feeling the head of him sliding through her folds — still slick with his saliva and her own arousal.

She reached between them to wrap her hand around his length, guiding him to her entrance and tilting her hips to take him inside. He hissed out a breath as he filled her, never slowing until his hips were flush with hers. Then he was moving, any trace of slow and tortuous gone and in their wake only his hard and punishing rhythm remaining.

He steadied himself on his hands, slamming into her with everything he had, and she wound her arms around his neck to hold on. She felt his teeth at the bend in her shoulder, biting into her skin before soothing each mark with his tongue. Obscene sounds fell from his mouth, babbled curses and deep grunts filling the space of her bedroom as he filled her again and again.

Still sensitive from the orgasm he’d just wrung from her, she felt another building deep inside. She tightened her grip around him, gasping. “I’m so _close,”_ she whimpered.

“ _Yes,”_ he hissed. “Let me feel you. _Come,_ Rey _.”_

She cried out as a second climax tore through her, clamping her knees around his waist and holding him tight as he rammed into her core, his breath leaving him erratically and his hips stuttering with the effort. Then he stilled, warmth blooming inside her and his entire body shuddering as he filled her with his spend. She clung to him tightly, pulling him as close as he could be.

His breath washed over her skin, warm and heavy as he buried his face into the bend of her shoulder. His breathing was labored, struggling to come down as he held her against him. She felt him flooding her, every tiny movement of his cock spilling more inside her until she felt it trickling outwards.

It hit her then, what she’d done in her frantic need of him, and she pushed at his chest in a panic.

“ _Kylo,”_ she sputtered. “You— we— you didn’t—”

She made aimless gestures between them, at a loss for words in her fear and he grasped then what worried her. He looked sheepish, clenching his lips together and looking away from her. “Um, it’s actually fine.”

She reared back, confused. “What do you mean?”

“I… well, you see… I can’t _actually_ get you pregnant,” he explained.

She narrowed her eyes. “Excuse me?”

He let his head fall back and forth in an aimless manner, scrambling. “My kind, we’re… well, we’re sterile.”

Her mouth fell open. “So all that _interfering_ nonsense really was just you being an ass? What was with the _Accio_ _Condom_ bullshit?”

He shrugged guiltily. “I didn’t think you’d _actually_ believe me.”

She huffed, grumbling softly to herself. “You might actually be the devil.”

He grinned wolfishly, ducking to kiss her repeatedly until she finally fell into a fit of giggles, her ire forgotten. He slipped out of her then, gathering her against him and letting her head rest on his arm as he idly toyed with her hair.

Silence stretched between them, and in its wake she finally gave thought to what was still missing, or rather _who._

“Where is Armitage?” she wondered.

“Making himself scarce,” Kylo replied flippantly. “More than likely checking on your friend. He rarely shuts up about her.”

“He disappeared when you did,” Rey pointed out. “Why is that?”

“He is… tethered to me,” he began. “So to speak. His life is tied to mine.”

“How did that happen?” Rey pressed.

Kylo shrugged. “I saved his life. Got himself caught in a rabbit trap decades ago. When you save a brownie, they owe you a debt.”

She frowned. “How can they repay it?”

“It is paid when the debtor decides it is paid,” he informed her.

“So you’re just… keeping him prisoner?” she tutted.

“It’s a mutually beneficial relationship,” Kylo scoffed. “If it weren’t for me he’d be in a burrow somewhere fighting for acorns.”

Rey giggled. “I think you love him.”

He blew out a breath. “I think you’re over-romanticizing it.”

“Okay, sure,” she laughed. “Big bad Kylo feels nothing for the little ginger fairy.”

He poked a finger into her side, tickling her, and she giggled as she tried to squirm away. “You’re awfully cheeky lately,” he hmphed.

She settled, Kylo relenting in his attack, and she leaned up as another thought struck her. “What would happen now… if I guessed your name?”

His mouth pressed into a tight line, his jaw clenching as he considered how to answer. “The contract would be void. More or less.”

“But then I would lose you,” she added quietly.

“I am afraid you might either way,” he sighed. “If I cannot claim your contract… someone will step in.”

“Who?”

“Someone I hope you never meet.”

She considered this, taking in his dark expression and worried eyes. She didn’t know who Kylo feared, but knew they must be terrible if they made someone like him so nervous.

She yawned despite herself, their late night and early morning catching up to her, and he turned inwards to press a kiss to her temple. “Sleep, Rey. I will be here when you wake up.”

“You promise?”

He nodded. “I promise.”

She grinned, snuggling closer and letting her eyes flutter closed. His warmth enveloped her, and she let herself find peace in his promise to still be there when she woke. She tried not to focus on the nagging thoughts that perhaps one day he _wouldn’t_ be there, brushing away those dreary meanderings and instead letting sleep claim her.

For now, he was here. That was what was important.

* * *

She found herself alone in her bed when she next woke, sitting up in a panic only for Kylo to rush to her side, fully dressed. She gave him a curious look as he sat beside her on the bed, eyeing his clothes in question.

“Are you going somewhere?”

He frowned, giving her a nod. “I… I need to see to something.”

“That’s cryptic.”

He sighed. “I don’t… I don’t want to hold your contract anymore.”

“But—” she sputtered, “then you will have to leave.”

“Perhaps not,” he argued. “I have… I have been a faithful servant. I have always done what he has asked. Perhaps… perhaps he will see it my way.”

“Can’t you just… can’t you just allow the contract to remain in place?”

“I _told_ you,” he sighed again. “If I do not see it to fruition… someone will step in. I would rather die than have you involved with _him.”_

“But  _who_?” she wondered again. “Who are you so afraid of?

He pursed his lips, looking away from her in anger. “It doesn’t matter. You will never have to find out if I have anything to do with it. I have to step in before he comes looking.”

She clutched at the sheets around her, moving closer to where he sat at the edge of the bed and throwing her arms around his waist. “Why does it feel like I won’t see you again?”

“I have to try, Rey,” he mourned. “Nothing can happen for us if we remain as we are.”

“Promise me you will come back.”

He turned to look at her, his eyes pleading. “I promise that I will do everything in my power to be back as quickly as possible.”

She could only nod, recognizing that this was as good as she was going to get. He stood then, leaning over her to press a kiss to her forehead. “I _will_ come back.”

Her eyes fell to the floor, a deep sadness flooding through her as if she knew nothing good would come of him leaving. She wanted to beg him to stay, to make him see that this would not go the way he thought, but she knew it was futile. His mind was made up.

She could only watch helplessly as he turned away, striding out of her bedroom and the apartment falling silent as he disappeared in that way of his. She fell back against her bed, already mourning his loss and feeling anxiety step in. Lately her days seemed to have been reduced to waiting, and it was insane to her that Kylo could be such a strong force in her life after such a short time.

She rolled to her side, staring at the empty chair where she’d found him only the night before and praying it would be no time at all before she saw him there again. She didn’t know if he would be back as soon as he’d promised, but she believed him when he said he would do all he could. She could wait.

She _would_ wait.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> Come say hi on [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/kylotrashforever)!  
> I made a [Twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/KTF_Reylo), come follow me!  
> 


End file.
